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mus,stx  MT      85.W413  1906 

On  the  performance  of  Beethoven's 


3   T153   DDfi7T137 


^       Music 
MT 

W413 
1906 


MUSIC  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSn  Y  OF  CONNECTICUT 

STORRS,  CONNECTICUT 


A  KALMUS  PUBLICATION  3.00 


♦ 


Felix 
WEINGARTNER 


ox  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF 
REETHOVEX'S  SYMPHONIES 


EDWIN  F.  KALMUS 

PUBLISHER  OF  MUSK 
NEW  YORK,  N.Y. 


ON  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF 
BEETHOVEN'S  SYMPHONIES 


BY 


FELIX  WEINGARTNER 

TRANSLATED  BY 

JESSIE  CROSLAND,  M.A. 


MUSIC  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSlif  OF  CONNECTICUT 

STORRS,  CONNECTICUT 

EDWIN  F.  KALMUS 

PUBLISHER  OF  MUSIC 
NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


00(0 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  secret  of  the  artistic  rendering  of  musical  composi- 
tions, and  hence  the  secret  of  the  conductor's  art,  lies 
in  the  style.  The  reproducing  artist,  in  this  case  the  con- 
ductor, must  have  absorbed  into  himself,  so  to  speak,  the 
peculiarity  of  each  master  and  each  masterpiece,  and  his  ren- 
dering must  be  subordinate  to  this  peculiarity  even  in  the 
smallest  details.  As  regards  the  time,  the  phrasing,  the  treat- 
ment of  the  sounds  in  the  orchestra  and  even  th^^ technical 
manipulation,  the  conductor  must  assume  a  different  personal- 
ity according  as  he  is  conducting  the  Eroica  or  the  Pasto- 
rale^ Tristan  or  the  Meistersinger^  according  as  he  is  trying 
to  reproduce  Haydn  or  Beethoven,  Berlioz  or  Wagner.  I 
believe  I  am  not  going  too  far  when  1  say  that  a  conductor 
of  genius  unites  in  himself  just  as  many  personalities  as  he 
reproduces  masterpieces. 

One  of  the  essential  conditions  of  the  style  of  an  execu- 
tion must  be  clearness^  and  this  is  the  quality  which  will 
occupy  us  here  with  regard  to  Beethoven's  Symphonies. 
This  is  precisely  the  point  in  which  these  greatest  of  all 
orchestral  compositions  offer  the  greatest  difficulty,  for  even 
a  perfectly  correct  rendering  does  not  always  make  the  in- 
tentions of  the  master  as  clear  as  they  become  by  the  read- 
ing of  the  score,  or  even  by  the  playing  of  the  pianoforte 
extracts.  Indeed  it  must  be  confessed  that  many  passages 
awaken  a  feeling  of  confusion  rather  than  of  pleasure.  And 
yet  we  should  be   renouncing   at  once  all  idea  of  a  true  re- 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

production  if  we  passed  these  problems  by,  and  took  refuge 
behind  the  mere  correctness  of  our  rendering-.  Wagner,  in 
his  valuable  work  ''On  the  Execution  of  Beethoven's  Ninth 
Symphony"  (Zum  Vortrag  der  neunten  Symphonie  Beet- 
hoven's) ,  to  which  I  shall  often  have  occasion  to  refer, 
says:  —  "Just  as  we  should  never  leave  a  difficult  passage 
in  a  philosopher  until  we  clearly  understand  it  —  as  other- 
wise, on  reading  further  with  increasing  carelessness,  we  end 
by  misunderstanding  the  teacher  altogether  —  so  we  should 
never  glide  over  a  single  note  in  a  symphony  such  as  this 
of  Beethovens  without  having  a  clear  consciousness  of  what 
it  means."  He  also  points  out  that  Beethoven's  intentions 
were  far  in  advance  of  the  means  at  his  disposal,  and  that  he 
devoted  his  chief  attention  to  the  management  of  horns  and 
trumpets,  which,  in  his  day,   included   only  the  natural  scale 


^ 


and  one  or  two  more  or  less  questionable  stopped  notes. 
With  his  penetrating  mind  and  fine  understanding,  Wagner 
also  felt  and  frankly  admitted  "that  after  the  period  of  his 
deafness  had  begun,  Beethoven's  mental  conception  of  the 
orchestra  grew  fainter  in  proportion  as  the  dynamic  condi- 
tions of  the  orchestra  became  less  familiar  to  him ;  and  these 
conditions  lost  their  distinctness  just  when  they  were  be- 
coming most  indispensable,  namely,  at  a  time  when  his  con- 
ceptions needed  a  constantly  changing  manipulation  of  the 
orchestra" 

A  conscientious  study  of  Beethoven's  orchestral  works 
shews  us,  in  fact,  that  the  horns  and  trumpets  often  come 
to  a  stand-still  simply  because  it  was  impossible  to  obtain 
a  suitable  sound   for    a  ^iven  chord   on  the  instruments  of 


INTRODUCTION  V 

that  time,  and  that  for  the  same  reason  they  often  break 
off  the  melodial  design  entrusted  to  them,  and  either  proceed 
merely  with  harmonic  notes,  or  pause  altogether.  We  see 
that  these  instruments  are  often  obliged  to  make  dangerous 
and  apparently  aimless  leaps  because  they  could  follow  the 
progress  of  the  musical  representation  in  no  other  way. 
Finally  we  see  that  sometimes  the  most  important  part  be- 
comes quite  inaudible,  because  it  is  entrusted  to  instruments 
which  are  drowned  by  others  with  a  louder  sound  playing  a 
much  less  important  part. 

It  is  true  that  this  state  of  things  may  be  improved  by 
instrumental  changes;  but  unless  those  changes  are  conducted 
with  the  utmost  prudence  and  good  taste,  there  is  great 
danger  lest  the  most  important  thing  of  all,  Beethoven's  own 
peculiar  style,  may  suffer;  for,  in  spite  of  the  indisputable 
imperfections  mentioned  above,  Beethoven's  handling  of  the 
orchestra  is  so  entirely  peculiar  to  himself,  that  the  greatest 
caution  is  necessary  if  it  is  to  be  in  any  way  interfered  with. 

The  present  work  has  undertaken  the  task,  among  other 
things,  of  marking  as  definitely  as  possible  the  limit  within 
which  such  interference  is  artistically  justifiable.  Since  the 
later  years  of  Billow's  activity,  in  which  he  fell  more  and 
more  a  prey  to  unwholesome  sensation,  all  kinds  of  distor- 
tions as  regards  time  and  phrasing  have  unfortunately  be- 
come the  fashion  in  the  rendering  of  Beethoven's  works. 
We  have  also  —  though  not  through  any  fault  of  Biilow's, 
for  his  perceptions  were  too  fine  for  this  —  witnessed  instru- 
mental encroachments- which  do  violence  to  Beethoven's 
spirit.  It  is  well  known  that  I  have  not  only  avoided  such 
distortions  when  conducting  myself,  but  have  waged  war 
against  them  in  speech  and  in  writing.  And  I  have  no  hesi- 
tation now  in  condemning  as  inexcusable  frivolity  the  addition 
of  instruments  which  Beethoven  never  employed,  and  the 
inclusion  of  trombones  in  passages  for  which  no  trombones 
were  prescribed.     Beethoven's  works  were  written    at  a  time 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

prior  to  the  reform  of  brass  instruments  through  the  intro- 
duction of  valves,  which  has  been  in  many  respects  bene- 
ficial. And  I  believe  I  am  not  mistaken  in  feeling  in  his 
manner  of  writing  an  anticipatory  longing  for  this  reform. 
But  on  the  other  hand  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that,  at  any 
rate  with  respect  to  the  horns  and  natural  instruments,  a  far 
richer  and  more  varied  application  was  possible  than  that 
which  Beethoven  gave  to  them.  We  can  learn  this  from  a 
glance  at  the  scores  of  his  contemporary,  Weber,  the  greatest 
master  of  horn  -  writing.  We  are  justified  therefore  in 
sometimes  helping  to  render  some  of  Beethoven's  intentions 
clearer  by  the  application  of  our  more  extensive  means, 
but  on  no  account  are  we  justified  in  a  re-instrumentation 
of  his  works  according  to  the  principles  of  the  modern 
orchestra. 

Since  I  have  conducted  in  the  concert  hall,  I  have 
honestly  endeavoured  to  seize  and  to  reproduce  faithfully 
the  style  of  Beethoven's  works.  Numerous  recitals  which 
I  have  conducted  have  given  me  constantly  recurring  oppor- 
tunities of  working  at  this  ambitious  task,  of  perfecting 
myself  in  it,  of  quickening  my  appreciation,  and  of  striving 
with  all  my  might  to  come  nearer  to  my  ideal,  viz.,  to  re- 
produce faithfully  in  my  interpretation  the  characteristic 
features  of  Beethoven's  orchestral  work,  while  at  the  same 
time  combining  them  with  the  utmost  clearness.  The  following 
proposals  have  the  advantage  of  being  based  throughout, 
not  on  theoretical  considerations,  but  on  practical  and,  in 
many  cases^  oft-repeated  experience. 

I  tried  first  of  all  to  animate  the  execution  by  means  of 
careful  notation,  and  endeavoured  to  render  obscure  passages 
clearer  by  this  means,  without  altering  the  instrumentation. 
By  careful  notation  I  made  the  more  important  parts  more 
prominent  and  put  the  less  important  parts  more  in  the  back- 
ground; not  with  the  idea  of  producing  arbitrary  shades  of 
expression,   but    simply    to   preserve    the    unbroken   melodic 


INTRODUCTION  VTI 

progress  of  the  symphony,  a  clear  understanding  of  which 
is  the  only  safeguard  against  obscurity  in  execution.  In 
many  cases  where  I  had  originally  thought  an  instrumental 
alteration  to  be  indispensable,  I  found  to  my  joy  that  a  care- 
fully executed  notation  not  only  amply  met  my  own  require- 
ments, but  also  corresponded  much  more  to  Beethoven's 
intention  than  the  alteration  contemplated. 

Passages  do  occur,  however,  where  notation  alone  would 
not  suffice,  and  in  such  cases  I  was  obliged  to  have  recourse 
to  instrumental  interference.  This  book,  in  which  everyone 
of  these  cases  is  examined  and  justified  in  detail,  is  sufficient 
proof  of  the  careful  consideration  with  which  I  proceeded  in 
the  matter. 

Such  alterations  are  of  different  kinds.  In  some  cases  I 
made  the  second  voice  of  a  wood-wind  instrument,  which 
had  just  come  to  a  pause,  resume  in  unison  with  the  first 
voice  in  order  to  strengthen  it.  In  several  symphonies  I 
not  only  doubled  the  number  of  the  wood-wind  instruments 
for  a  strong  string-quartett  — ■  this  other  conductors  had  done 
before  me  —  but  also  marked  with  the  utmost  care  every  passage 
in  each  individual  part  where  this  doubling  was  to  come  in 
and  where  it  was  to  stop.  This  is  treated  in  detail  in  the 
introductory  remarks  to  the  Eroica^  and  taken  up  later  in 
connexion  with  each  particular  symphony. 

Other  alterations  are  necessary  in  those  passages  in  which 
both  horns  or  both  trumpets  are  playing  in  octaves,  but 
where  Beethoven  has  been  obliged  through  lack  of  a  natural 
note  to  allow  the  second  voice  to  make  a  disproportionate 
leap.  Wagner,  as  he  tells  us  himself,  used  "generally'' 
to  recommend  his  second  wind-players,  in  such  passages  as 
the  following: 


Vi[[  !\  TRDUUCTKJX. 

to  take  the  hnvcr  octave  and  play  thus: 


But  this  "generally"  goes  loo  lar,  for  it  is  just  these  intervals 
which  are  often  so  characteristic;  and  just  as  a  great  master 
can  often  turn  to  advantage  the  very  imperfection  of  the 
means  at  his  disposal,  so  here  this  striking  use  of  natural 
notes  often  corresponds  exacdy  to  the  peculiarities  of  Beet- 
hoven's style,  and  any  attempt  to  improve  it  would  only 
have  the  opposite  effect.  I  have  therefore  examined  each 
of  these  cases  singly,  and  have  only  ventured  on  an  altera- 
tion, i.  e.  a  transposition  into  the  lower  octave,  where  Beet- 
hoven's action  is  evidently  due  to  the  limited  compass  of 
the  instruments  of  his  time. 

Much  less  numerous  than  these  modest  modihcations,  are 
those  passages  in  which  I  have  made  actual  additions,  ana 
have  inserted  harmonic  notes  in  the  pauses  of  brass-instru- 
ments, or  slightly  changed  the  course  of  the  melody  in  these 
parts.  I  have  only  done  this  where  there  can  be  absolutely 
no  doubt  that  Beethoven  would  have  written  it  in  the  same 
way,  had  not  the  above-mentioned  imperfection  of  these 
instruments  compelled  him  to  do  violence  to  his  conceptions; 
and  he  would  certainly  thank  us  for  these  alterations  were 
he  in  the  land  of  the  living. 

Real  innovations,  with  the  assistance,  of  course,  of  the 
instruments  prescribed,  I  have  undertaken  partly  in  accor- 
dance with  the  proposals  made  by  Wagner,  and  partly  on 
my  own  responsibility ;  they  only  occur  in  the  very  rare  cases 
in  which  there  was  absolutely  no  other  means  of  obtaining 
the  effect  which  Beethoven  wished  to  produce.  I  invite  a 
disinterested  examination,  of  the  cases  which  I  have  attempt- 
ed to  expound  thoroughly  in  the  present  work,  and,  if  ne- 
cessary, a  practical  comparison  in  which  these  passages  could 


INTRODUCTION.  IX 

be  triedj  first  as  they  stand  in  the  original,  and  then  in  the 
altered  form  which  I  have  suggested.  I  may  mention  here 
that  wheneyer  I  have  had  the  passages  executed  in  their 
altered  form.,  I  have  never  been  reproached  with  it  —  in- 
deed no  one  has  perceived  the  alteration  —  but  that  on 
the  contrary,  surprise  has  often  been  expressed  that,  in  my 
rendering,  so  much  has  become  clear  which  had  never  been 
so  before. 

I  have  thought  it  necessary  to  revise  very  carefully  the 
metronome-marks.  The  metronome  is  an  instrument  which, 
as  Berlioz  says,  is  only  meant  to  guard  us  against  gross  mis- 
apprehensions. Moreover  every  composer  will  admit  that 
one's  view  as  to  the  time  of  a  composition  of  one's  own, 
often  alters  considerably  as  soon  as  the  creation  of  one's 
fantasy  is  handed  over  to  the  reality  of  execution.  Maelzel's 
invention  only  came  into  use  after  Beethoven  had  already 
become  hard  of  hearing.  What  dependence  could  be  placed 
then  on  the  metronome  marking  of  his  works  when  he  was 
no  longer  judge  of  its  accuracy?  An  attempt  to  play  Beet- 
hoven's symphonies  according  to  the  metronome -marks  will 
prove  how  unreliable  they  often  are.  I  would  point  out 
emphatically,  however,  that  my  directions  in  this  matter  can 
only  be  of  an  approximate  nature,  for  an  artistic  conception 
of  the  time  is  not  so  firmly  established  that  it  can  be  ruled 
by  numbers  with  absolute  certainty. 

In  the  numbering  of  pages  and  bars  I  have  followed  the 
complete  edition  of  Breitkopf  and  Härtel. 

And  now,  if  anyone  wishes  to  draw  profit  from  my  woric, 
I  would  ask  him,  not  simply  to  glance  through  it  and  single 
out  what  perhaps  specially  appeals  to  him,  but  to  go  care- 
fully through  the  scores  of  Beethoven's  symphonies  with 
the  help  of  my  directions,  at  least  once,  and  to  note  these 
directions  down  in  the  scores  with  the  utmost  care.  By  this 
means  only  will  he  obtain  an  idea  of  what  I  wish  to  say 
to  him  and  some  understanding  of  my  conception  of  these 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

works.  And  if  anyone  finds  then  that  I  have  gone  too  much 
into  detail,  that  I  have  delayed  longer  than  necessary  over 
points  of  minor  importance  and  that  I  have  repeatedly  re- 
ferred to  thirfgs  which  any  intelligent  musician  could  find 
out  for  himself,  let  him  remember,  first,  that  in  art  even 
the  most  insignificant  things  are  important,  if  they  serve  for 
the  completion  of  the  whole;  secondly,  that  I  am  writing 
not  only  for  the  elder  masters  of  the  conductor's  art  who 
have  already  endeavoured  to  master  Beethoven's  style  in 
their  own  way,  but  even  more  for  the  younger  conductors, 
for  the  coming  generation,  who  —  partly  through  having  been 
spoilt  by  the  much  more  easy-going  modern  scores  where 
everything  "tells",  and  so  feeling  as  uncomfortable  in  the 
presence  of  Beethoven's  more  reserved  orchestra  as  they 
would  before  a  sphinx  propounding  insoluble  riddles,  and 
partly  through  the  exaggerated  imitation  of  Billow's  style  of 
conducting  which  is  still  more  or  less  in  vogue  —  imagine 
that  they  must  find  salvation  in  trifles,  instead  of  allowing 
themselves  to  be  guided  by  the  genius  of  beauty  and  truth. 
I  have  therefore,  in  addition  to  the  above-mentioned  hints, 
always  explained  my  own  manner  of  interpretation  wherever 
it  seemed  to  me  that  it  might  be  of  use,  and  in  so  far  as 
it  was  possible  for  me  to  do  so  in  words. 

The  most  minute  observance  of  all  my  directions,  however, 
cannot  possibly  ensure  a  perfect  execution  if  the  spirit  of 
the  artist  is  wanting,  for  this  alone  can  give  Beethoven's 
symphonies  a  living  form.  My  task  then  is  to  provide,  not 
an  apodeictic  book  of  instructions  for  rising  conductors,  but 
a  loving  guide  by  which  they  may  avoid  the  rocks  and 
dangers  which  beset  the  true  conductor's  path,  and  which  will 
lead  them  in  a  sure  way  where  they  can  advance  alone  in  safety. 

It  is  with  this  object  in  view  that  I  offer  this  book  to 
the  public. 

Munich,  July   1906. 

Felix  Weingartner. 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 

Page  3,  bars  5  and  6.  First  flute  aird  first  bassoon  are 
important  parts  for  the  melody  and,  whilst  the  rest  of  the 
orchestra  remains /,  must  be  rendered  distinctly  audible,  thus: 


^ 


t 


mf  :r=—  mf  :::= 

The  horns,  in  spite  of  the  unison  with  the  bassoon  which 
begins  in  bar  2,  must  be  considered  as  harmony  parts  and 
therefore  remain  /. 

Page  4,  bar  6.  The  4  demi-semi-quavers  in  the  string- 
quartett  are  generally  played  as  grac^-notes,  which  is  wrong; 
they  must  each  have  exactly  the  value  of  a  quaver.  They 
receive  their  true  melodic  importance  when  the  allegro  con 
brio  which  immediately  follows  is  played  in  such  a  way  that 
the  value  of  a  half-bar  corresponds  precisely  to  that  of  a  quaver 
in  the  preceding  adagio  molto.  It  is  true  that  this  does  not 
agree  with  the  metronome  marking,  but  it  gives  more  cha- 
racter to  the  principal  theme  than  if  this  is  played  at  full 
speed  at  the  very  beginning.  The  speed  should  gradually 
increase,  until  full  speed  is  reached  at  the  ff^  page  5,  bar  6. 
We  must  emphasize  the  fact  that  both  here  and  in  all  simi- 
lar observations,  we  are  concerned  with  fluctuations,  not  with 
any  dislocation  of  the  time  of  the  piece.  An  intentionally  slow 
beginning  of  the  Allegro  would  be  just  as  displeasing,  as 
the  gentle,  preparatory  holding-back  in  the  first  bars  which 
allows  the  chief  part  of  the  Introduction  gradually  to  unfold 
itself,  is  pleasing  and  effectual. 

Page  4,  last  bar  and  page  5,  bars  2  and  4.  Every  jt/"  to 
be  executed  as  sfp. 

Page  5,  bars  8 — 16.  There  is  a  danger  here  lest  the 
imitations  of  the  violin-passages  by  the  flutes,  the  clarinets 
and  the  first  bassoon  should  be  drowned  by  the.  horns,  the 
trumpets  and  the  kettle-drums,  or  even  by  the  string-quartett 
if  this  is  numerous,  so  that  the  audience  only  hears  emphatic 

Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies. 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


brassnotes  and  constantly    recurring  string-chords.     I  there- 
fore propose  the  following  notation : 


Flutes 
Clarinets 
ist  Bassoon 

Oboes 
Horas 


Trumpets 
Kettle-drums 


Violins 


Violas 

Violoncellos 

Contrabassos  and 

2"d  Bassoon 


FIRST  SYMPHONY 


The  stringed  instruments   still  remain  mf'm  the  17'^  bar 
and  are  joined  by  the  wood-wind  instruments  in  the  passage 


likewise  in  mf^  thus  rendering  possible  the  crescendo  pre- 
scribed to  last  during  the  next  3  bars.  If  on  the  other  hand 
the  whole  passage  reproduced  in  our  last  example  but  one 
be  played  ff  as  prescribed,  the  emphasis  must  either  be  sud- 
denly lessened  so  as  to  enable  us  to  produce  a  crescendo, 
or  else  the  crescendo  must  be  sacrificed  altogether.  The 
directions  given  above  however  not  only  render  the  bars  in 
question  clearer,  but  they  also  deliver  us  from  the  dilemma 
just  mentioned. 

Page  6,  bars  10 — 13.  To  obtain  a  graceful  rendering  of 
this  passage  the  following  nuances  are  recommended,  but  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  >  are  to  be  executed  in  such 
a  way  as  to  enliven  the  passage  in  a  pleasing  and  gentle 
manner;  the  slightest  forcing  of  the  notes  would  be  detrimental. 


What  we  have  just  said  in  regard  to  the  >-  may  be  ap- 
plied also  to  the  sf  in  the  four  following  bars.  They  are  sf 
in  piano  not  in  forte^  a  difference  which  must  always  be 
carefully  observed  and  equally  carefully  carried  out.  In  the 
orchestral  parts  it  is  advisable  to  allow  thern  to  be  followed 
by  a  short  zr=— ,  so  that  for  the  flutes  and  clarinets  the 
passage  will  be  as  follows: 


I 


--1- 


^^    6-/: 


^ 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


for  the  stringqu^rtett: 


for  the  fi^st  bassoon: 


^fe£fe=£ 


and  thereupon  for  violas,  violoncellos  and  contrabassos : 


Page  6,  bars  i8  and  19,  and  page  7,  bars  i  and  2.  Direc- 
tions for  the  parts  containing  the  melody,  violins,  first  flute 
and  first  oboe,  the  same  as  for  page  6,  bars  10 — 13. 

Page  7,  bars  5  and  6.  I  recommend  the  following  no- 
tation for  all  parts: 


S 


not  however  a  strong  crescendo  with  a  startling  "/  subito",  but 
a  gentle  intensifying  of  the  sound  followed  by  a  return  to 
the  p  which  reigns  in  the  whole  of  the  preceding  passage. 
Page  7,  bar  15.  With  this  bar  begins  one  of  the  most  charac- 
teristic episodes  of  this  symphony.  The  wonderful  bass- 
passages,  the  original  modulations,  the  speaking  phrases  of 
oboe  and  bassoon  give  us  a  foretaste  of  Beethoven's  later 
works.  In  order  to  give  the  expression  its  full  right  here, 
I  believe  I  am  justified  in  placing  a  poco  meno  inosso  at  the 
beginning  of  the  bar  in  question.  Then  in  the  4'^  bar  of 
page  8  begins  a  gradual  increase  of  speed  which  lasts  for 
three  bars  and  finally  reaches  the  original  allegro  (tempo  I)  in 
the  7'^  bar  of  the  same  page. 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


The  marking  .^T^.  for  the  violins  and  violas  given  in 
the  first  two  bars  only,  holds  good  for  the  whole  passage  as 
far  as  the  crescendo^  at  which  point  a  more  vigorous  bowing 
might  be  introduced. 

Page  8,  bar  12.  All  parts  to  be  provided  with  an  -===r 
leading  up  to  the  coming  ff. 

Page  8,  bar  16.  The  modern  make  of  the  instrument 
allows  us  to  write 


I 


^ 


for  the  flute  in  this  passage,  instead  of 


i 


it 


=1* 


Beethoven  never  ventured  to  write  anything  for  the  flute 
above  the  high  A^  and  this,  as  we  shall  see  presently,  often 
led  to  ^.uriously  abnormal  treatment  of  the  melody. 

Page  8,  last  bar.  The  unnatural  leap  in  the  parts  of  the 
second  horn  and  the  second  trumpet  is  simply  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  lower  D  was  wanting  in  the  instruments  of 
that  time.  In  this  and  in  similar  passages,  which  will  be  men- 
tioned in  their  place,  we  may  therefore  make  the  correction 


sf       sf 

The  second  horn  too  in  the  following  bars  might  take 
the  lower  D  instead  of  the  higher  one  until  the  repetition 
mark  is  reached. 

I  should  recommend  the  repetition  of  the  first  part  in 
this  movement  in  which,  as  the  first  subject  is  no  longer 
preceded  by  an  introduction,  there  is  now  no  reason  for 
holding  back  the  time.     The  repetition  might  therefore  be 


5  FIRST  SYMPHONY. 

begun  at  full  allegro  tempo  for  which  ^=.  wi  is  a  fairly 
correct  metronome  mark. 

Page  lo,  bar  7.  All  parts  to  be  provided  with  a  -=^ 
leading  up  to  the  following  /. 

Bars  4 — 7  of  this  page  form  a  period  of  four  beats,  to 
which  the  passage  of  four  beats  immediately  following  corre- 
sponds. Although  this  second  period  is  only  a  transposition 
of  the  first,  it  needs  a  different  mode  of  execution,  as  it  con- 
cludes /  instead  of  /  and  leads  to  major  instead  of  minor. 
I  have  therefore  introduced  the  following  graduation  in  all 
parts  for  bars  10,  11  and  12  of  this  page.  The  second  horn 
plays  the  lower  F  during  these  bars,  a  note  which  did  not 
exist  in  the  natural  instruments. 


Page  10,  bars  13 — 17.  The  first  flute  is  the  part  which 
carries  the  melody  in  this  passage.  It  is  quite  sufficient  in 
itself  during  the  crescendo  in  the  13'^  and  14^^  bars,  but  after 
the  15'^  bar  it  may  easily  begin  to  seem  weak  as  the  string- 
quartett  has  already  become  fairly  strong  and  in  the  16'^  bar 
has  reached  ff.  It  is  therefore  advisable  for  both  flutes  to 
play  the  passage 


mä 


.    i^i       ^=       ^ 


^-t—r~ 


If 


in  unison.     The   oboes   should   not  make   the   crescendo   on 
Ev  G  too  emphatic. 


FIRST  SYMPHONY.  7 

Page  10,  bar  18.  Wagner,  with  special  reference  to 
Beethoven's  compositions,  has  already  pointed  out  the  im- 
portance of  a  /  following  immediately  upon  an  /  without 
any  intermediate  diniimioido.  I  would  again  repeat  this  here, 
and  'would  add  that  the  sudden  change  should  take  place 
without  any  separation  to  break  the  rhythm  before  the  /,  i.  e. 
without  any  so-called  "air-pause".  At  the  same  time  I  would 
declare  that  I  consider  the  introduction  of  these  "air-pauses" 
into  classical  masterpieces,  and  hence  in  Beethoven's  sym- 
phonies also,  as  one  of  the  most  horrible  examples  of  bad 
taste  in  the  modern  manner  of  conducting.  In  spite  of  the 
artistic  freedom  of  execution,  the  great  sequence  of  the  time 
must  never  be  broken.  This  is  one  of  the  very  first  de- 
mands which  I  make  on  every  conductor,  and  he  will  edu- 
cate himself  to  it  with  all  his  strength  unless  he  wishes  to 
be  a  mere  strainer  after  effect.  I  quite  admit  that  this  sudden 
introduction  of  a/  belongs  to  those  difficulties  of  a  good  exe- 
cution which  can  only  be  conquered  by  a  careful  training 
of  the  orchestra. 

Page  II,  bar  5.  Even  the  best  orchestras  tend  to  get 
too  fast  after  this  bar.  This  must  be  carefully  avoided.  The 
little  rhythms 


scattered  over  the  different  parts  like  spots  of  light,  must 
form  a  whole  with  perfect  precision  like  the  links  of  a  chain, 
whilst  all  players  must  mamtain  during  15  bars  a  light //^«<? 
undisturbed  by  any  gradation.  Then  the  short  crescendo  in 
the  3''^  bar  of  page  12  can  be  exec^-ed  with  a  so  much 
greater  degree  of  energy. 

Page  12,  bars  4  —  11.  If  the  different  E^s  in  the  oboes, 
trumpets  and  clarinets  are  played  jf  throughout,  the  melodic 
phrases   of  the   flutes,   oboes   and   bassoons  cannot  possibly 


8 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


obtain   their   true  value, 
the  following  phrasing: 


This  however  can  be  effected  by 


Clarinets 


Horns  and 
Trumpets 


sfjr 


If 


i 


is: 


1 


sfp 


ff 


sjp 


m 


t»^^«;-^» 


=i=t 


m 


J, 


»*/ 


— •- 

sf 


mf 


sf 


—0- 
mf 


Page  13.  Here  the  principal  theme  is  introduced  for  the 
first  time  in  its  full  splendour.  It  is  therefore  advisable, 
whilst  maintaining  the  energetic  expression,  to  modify  the 
time  rather  in  the  broader  direction,  and  to  prepare  for  this 
modification  by  an  almost  imperceptible  slackening  of  the 
time  in  the  four  crescendo  bars  preceding  the^.  In  the  following 
gradual  crescendo  which  begins  in  the  1 4'*^  bar  of  this  page, 
an  opportunity  presents  itself  of  gently  quickening  the  speed 
again  so  that  with  the  first  bar  of  page  14  the  original  time 
is  established  once  more.  But  the  conductor  should  see 
that  the  vioHns  execute  the  short  semi-quaver  figures  with 
gradually  increasing  strength  and  are  not  already  playing 
/  where  crescendo  stands. 

Page  13,  bars  7 — 10.  Second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
can  play  the  lower  D  here.  Not  so  in  the  14'^  and  15^^  bars 
of  this  page  however,  because  the  lower  D  of  the  second  horn 
would  hinder  the  progress  of  the  bass  entrusted  to  the  second 
bassoon.  The  following  low  E  of  the  horns,  in  spite  of  the 
analogous  progress  of  the  second  bassoon,  has  no  influence 


FIRST  SYMPHONY.  q 

on  the  bass-leading,  as  this  is  executed  here  by  the  violon- 
cellos and  contrabassos. 

Page  14,  bar  8.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  flute  and 
clarinet  come  in  gently  on  the  fourth  crotchet,  I  believe  a 
^=^=-  in  the  string-quartett  is  justifiable,  leading  up  to  the/ 
in  the  following  bar. 

Page  14,  bars  9 — 19  and  page  15,  bars  i  —  5.  What 
was  said  above  for  page  6,  bars  10 — 19  and  page  7,  bars  i — 6 
holds  good  here  with  suitable  adaptation  to  the  altered  in- 
strumentation. 

Page  15,  bar  14.     Foco  meno  mosso  (as  before). 

Page  16,  bars  3 — 5.     Quicken  a  little  (as  before). 

Page  16,  bar  6.     Tempo  I  (as  before). 

Page  16,  bar  11.     -=c  in  all  parts  (as  before). 

Page  16,  bars  16  and  17.  An  attempt  to  treat  this  passage 
for  the  horns  and  trumpets  in  the  same  way  as  the  corre- 
sponding passage  on  page  8  would  be  unsuccessful.  The 
high  A  and  the  high  F  both  stood  at  the  writer's  disposal. 
Moreover  a  comparison  of  the  different  instrumentation  of 
the  two  passages  shows  clearly  that  Beethoven  saved  the 
brass-instrument  for  the  emphatic  introduction  of  the  do- 
minant followed  by  the  tonic.  This  one  example  is  quite 
characteristic,  and  should  serve  as  a  warning  to  those  who 
think  that  instrumental  alterations  will  be  helpful  everywhere 
because  in  some  places,  as  we  shall  see,  they  are  indis- 
pensable. 

Page  19.  I  propose  ^  ■==  104  as  metronome  mark,  in- 
stead of  ^^  ^  1 20. 

The  principal  theme  here  easily  falls  a  prey  to  the  fol- 
lowing trivial  manner  of  execution: 


g^^^ 


10 


FIRST  SYMPHONY 


I  therefore  recommend,  in  whatever  part  the  theme  occurs, 
to  give  as  fine  an  accent  as  possible  to  the  up-beat ;  this  can 
only  be  represented  as  follows: 


^8- 


The  same  holds  good  for  sever«,  utuer  passages  in  this 
movement,  as  for  example  the  beginning  of  the  second  part: 


fe^^^^^ 


j>p 


Page  ig,  bars  ii  and  12.     For  second  violins,  violas  and 
loncello 
execution: 


violoncello   the   following  notation  will  serve  to  animate  the 


PP 


Page  19,  bar  16.  For  the  sake  of  clearness  I  have  changed 
the  cresceyido  which  lasts  for  9  bars  and  has  to  be  very 
gradually  increased,  to  a  '-^poco  cresc.''^  in  this  bar,  and  have 
placed  a  ^'piu  crescT  in  bar  22. 

Page  20,  bars  4 — 11.  The  following  notation  is  to  be 
recommended  in  a  very  skilful  performance,  in  order  to  en- 
liven the  execution: 


I  St    and  2"d 
Violins 


'^^^^^^^:^^^^E?=E5E^E^^3;:^EI\ 


PP  p 

(Violoncellos  uniformly  p) 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


I  I 


l^pil 


(this  cresc.  and  dim.  everywhere, 
except  in  the  Horns  which  remain  p) 


From  the  up-beat  in  bar  ii  to  bar  15  the  second  vio- 
lins, first  flute  and  first  oboe  may  play  '-'•poco  espressivo^ ^ 
whilst  the  first  violins  give  their  descending  semi-quaver 
passage  //. 

Page  20,  last  bar.  Oboes  and  bassoons  begin  to  play 
forte  at  the.  C  and  do  not  wait  for  the  G,  which  is  a  correc- 
tion that  I  was  once  surprised  to  find.  The  same  holds  with 
reference  to  the  F  and   C  for  all  blowers  on  page  25,  bar  20. 

Page  21,  bar  11.  In  this  bar  a  diminuendo  can  be  intro- 
duced, then  the  four  following  bars  may  be  played  slightly 
more  piano  than  the  three  bars  which  precede  the  diminuendo^ 
thus  forming  a  kind  of  softly  dying  echo.  At  the  third 
quaver  of  the  15^^  bar  we  return  to  the  normal />  prescribed, 
which  closes  the  first  part  so  gracefully. 

The  direction  to  repeat  should  not  be  observed. 

From  about  the  i^^  bar  of  page  22  a  slight  quickening  of 

the  time  will  naturally  occur  until  the  original  tempo  of  the 

principal  theme  is  reached  by  about  the  last  bar  of  this  page 

•through  a  series  of  gradations.     For  the  10^^  to  the  13^^  bar 

of  page  23  I  have  adopted  the  following  manner  of  execution: 


but  I  always  warned  the  first  violins  against  a  sentimental 
mode  of  expression  in  the  last  two  bars.  If  I  supported 
the  execution   of  the  short   oboe-  and  bassoon-phrases  by 


,2  FIRST  SYMPHONY. 

means  of  a  slight  ritenuto^  I  allowed  the  original  time  to  come 
in  already  in  the  ^wo  bars  in  question  and  did  not  wait  for 
the  return  of  the  principal  theme. 

The  figurations  accompanying  the  return,  which  begin  in 
the  violoncellos  at  bar  14,  page  23,  cannot  be  performed 
too  tenderly  and  gracefully.  I  have  therefore  inserted  a  // 
also  in  the  6'^  bar  of  page  24  for  the  second  bassoon  and 
also  for  the  violas,  violoncellos  and  contrabassos. 

Page  24,  bar  10.  Here  too  only  poco  cresc.  at  first,  and 
pin  cresc.  not  before  bar  15. 

Page  25,  bars  i — 12.  See  what  has  been  said  for  page  20, 
bars  4 — 15. 

Page  26,  bars  9 — 13.     Same  as  for  page  21,  bars  11  — 15. 

Page  26,  bars  15  and  16.  The  little  solo  for  the  first 
oboe  to  be  played  with  expression  and  a  fairly  marked  crc~ 
scendo^  but  with  no  diminution  of  the  speed. 

Page  27,  bars  5 — 9.  In  order  to  ensure  the  melodic  do- 
mination to  the  wood-wind  in  this  passage,  marked /through- 
out, it  is  advisable,  should  the  quartett  be  in  full  force,  to 
adopt  the  same  notation  as  I  give  here  for  the  first  violin: 


sf  r=—  sf  - 


Page  27,  bars  15 — 19.  This  repetition  of  the  preceding 
4  bars  is  played  pp  in  contrast  to  the  preceding  /.  The 
pp  begins  in  the  flute  at  bar  17,  in  the  oboes  at  bar  15 
on  the  third  quaver,  in  the  clarinets  and  bassoons  at  bar  17, 
in  the  horns  at  bar  15,  in  the  first  violins  at  bar  16,  in  the 
second  and  tenor  violins  at  bar  15  on  the  first  demi-semi- 
quaver,  in  the  violoncellos  and  basses  at  bar  15  on  the 
third  quaver.  In  bar  19  the  horns  resume  the  customary  p 
on    the    third    quaver,    whereupon    the  pp    prescribed    by 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


13 


Beethoven  in  the  21^^  bar  has  a  particularly  fine  effect, 
especially  when  accompanied  by  a  slight  diminution  in  the 
speed.  The/  which  immediately  follows  must  however  bring 
back  the  original  time. 

Such  observations  as  these  are  intended  to  serve  merely 
as  hints,  not  as  directions.  It  would  be  better  not  to  ob- 
serve them  at  all  than  to  follow  them  unintelligently  with 
exaggerated  care. 


Page  28,  bars  16  and  17.  For  the  sake  of  the  melodic 
structure,  I  had  the  C  D  flat  (up-beat  and  first  crotchet)  in 
the  first  and  second  violins  played  />,  or  at  most  mf^  at  all 
events  in  distinct  contrast  to  the  /  which  is  introduced  again 
on  the  second  crotchet  of  the  1 7^^  bar.  It  seems  to  me  that 
this  must  have  been  Beethoven's  design,  as  otherwise  he  would 
have  had  no  reason  for  prescribing  /  again  at  this  second 
crotchet.  The  modulation  into  G  flat  major  introduced  in 
this  bar  is  one  of  the  numerous  striking  new  features  of 
Beethoven  which  already  distinguish  this  first  symphony. 
The  ff  at  the  entrance  of  this  G  flat  minor  (bar  19)  must 
be  played  by  all  instruments  concerned  with  special  em- 
phasis. 

Page  30,  Trio.  For  the  first  16  bars  of  this  Trio  I  have 
adopted  the  following  notation.  The  first  time  the  wood- 
wind and  horns  play  as  follows: 


fWW 


^Ü 


:^ 


mf 


I 


P^=Z^ 


-$^H — <^ 


mj- 


.^^-P 


1 4  FIRST  SYMPHONY. 

and  the  violins  also,  similarly  in  /.  At  the  repetition  however, 
these  1 6  bars  as  well  as  the  following  ones  until  the  repe- 
tition mark//,  should  be  played  without  the  -<  m/>-  which 
I  have  added.  The  violins  then  of  course  also  play  //, 
that  is,  more  softly  than  the  first  time.  The  sf  in  the 
1 6'^  bar  of  page  8i,  which  in  the  first  playing  only  repre- 
sents an  accent  in  /,  is  rendered  scarcely  noticeable  in  the 
repetition. 

I  would  deprecate  here  a  too  frequent  use  of  these 
echo-effects  such  as  I  have  introduced  here  and  also  once 
or  twice  in  the  Andante  of  this  symphony.  They  easily 
give  an  impression  of  affectation,  especially  in  compositions 
of  a  serious  character.  They  do  not  seem  to  me  misplaced 
in  this  cheerful  work,  which  was  evidently  written  under  the 
influence  of  Haydn's  style.  But  in  the  later  symphonies 
we  shall  scarcely  meet  them  again. 

Page  31.  The  passage  beginning  at  the  double  bar 
should  not  be  begun  too  quietly,  in  order  to  render  possible 
the  diminuendo  which  shortly  follows. 

Page  32,  bars  9  and  10.  I  would  warn  against  an  ex- 
aggeration of  the  -=  ==-,  which  has  a  grotesque  effect. 

The  first  part  of  the  main  section  is  so  short  that 
I  should  recommend  a  repetition  of  it  even  after  the  Trio, 
in  order  to  avoid  the  impression  of  a  too  hasty  flitting 
past,  which  seems  to  me  unavoidable  if  it  is  only  played 
once.  This  proceeding  forms  an  exception  to  be  allowed 
in  this  symphony  only,  and  which  should  never  be  adopted 
in  any  other  symphony,  whether  of  Beethoven  or  any 
other  master. 

P*3gs  33  >  bars  i — 6.  The  first  fermata  on  the  G  is 
maintained  for  a  considerable  length  of  time  and  then  taken 
off,  so  that  there  is  a  short  pause  before  the  entry  of  the 
first  violins.  The  following  passage  was  apparently  execu- 
ted already  by  Biilow  in  the  character  of  an  improvisatory 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


15 


Introduction.  I  do  not  know  how  this  was  done  as  I  never 
heard  this  symphony  conducted  by  Biilow.  I  have  supple- 
mented Beethoven's  directions  in  the  following  way: 


poco  accel. 


poco  rit. 


Allegro  molto  e  vivace. 


In  the  Allegro  molto  e  vivace  I  adopt  the  metronome 
mark  J=  138  instead  of  !=  88,  by  which  means  excite- 
ment is  avoided. 

Page  34,  bars  18 — 20.  The  short  phrase  in  the  first 
flute,  first  clarinet  and  first  bassoon 


^^^m 


?=j= 


is  not  sufficiently  in  evidence  if  the  trumpets,  kettledrums 
and  oboes  play  /  as  prescribed.  It  would,  be  contrary  to 
the  whole  character  of  the  passage,  however,  to  weaken  this 
/,  and  yet  it  is  most  important  that  the  merry,  almost  comic 
figure  of  the  wood-wind  should  be  distinctly  heard.  I  have 
therefore  allowed  the  2"<^  flute,  2°^  clarinet  and  2"^  bassoon 
to  accompany  the  first  parts  in  unison  and  all  six  instruments 
to  blow  ff^  so  that  by  this  means  the  desired  effect  is 
obtained. 

Page  35,  bars  17 — 21  and  page  36,  bars  i — 3.  The 
first  and  second  violins  may  play  this  graceful  and  snirited 
theme  with  the  following  gradation: 


i6 


FIRST  SYMPHONY. 


Page  36,  bar  25.  Second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
take  the  lower  D. 

Page  37.  The  first  part  of  this  movement  should  be 
repeated. 

Page  37,  last  bar  and  page  38,  first  bar.  Attention  should 
be  called  to  the  difference  between  the  pp  of  these  bars  as 
a  .-'"^•ceable  weakening  of  the  preceding  /,  also  to  the  fact 
that  the  violins  ought  on  no  account  to  prepare  by  means 
of  an  -<c  the  jf  which  is  introduced  quite  suddenly  in  the 
second  bar  of  page  38.  In  order  however  to  render  these 
fine  and  yet  strong  differentiations  absolutely  distinct,  it  is 
of  the  utmost  importance  to  avoid  a  too  great  hastening  of 
the  time,  which  is  a  point  against  which  I  would  warn  here 
expressly,  in  the  interest  of  the  charming  gracefulness  of  this 
whole  movement. 

Page  38,  bars  11  — 15.  For  the  first  violins  the  following 
mode  of  execution  may  be  recommended: 


iä^^s^^^T^fjfl^f^f^^p 


The  following  passage,  with  its  attractive  alternation  of 
legato  and  staccato  runs,  only  produces  its  proper  effect  when  it 
is  faithfully  executed  scmpre  p  without  the  slightest  attempt 
at  a  crescendo.  But  then  the  crescendo  should  come  in  at 
the  10^^  bar  of  page  39  as  prescribed  with  all  the  more  force. 

Page  40,  bars  13 — 16.  It  is  of  great  importance  that 
the  p  in  the  wood-wind  should  make  its  entry  here  suddenly. 


FIRST  SYMPHONY.  1 7 

If  we  prepare  for  it  by  a  diminuendo  in  the  first  two  bars 
the  whole  effect  is  spoilt,  although  that  is  easier  for  care- 
less players.  In  order  to  avoid  this  error,  I  have  written 
ff  in-  the  first  bar  for  flutes,  clarinets  and  bassoons,  and  have 
added  a  subito  to  the  /  in  the  third  bar.  To  my  surprise, 
not  only  once  but  several  times,  the  compliment  has  been 
paid  me,  that  I  had  really  "made"  something  quite  special 
out  of  this  passage.  I  have  never  understood  what  there 
was  "special"  in  faithfully  carrying  out  an  instruction,  and 
still  less  have  I  been  able  to  understand  how  any  other 
mode  of  execution  than  the  one  described  could  have  been 
adopted  in  this  passage.  This  fine  stroke,  that  the  ff  cf 
the  whole  orchestra  has  a  sort  of  echo  for  two  bars  more 
in  the  wood-wind  instruments  and  then  gives  way  suddenly 
to  the  p  of  the  returning  principal  theme,  is  so  absolutely 
characteristic  of  Beethoven  that  it  cannot  possibly  be 
misunderstood. 

Page  41,  bars  18 — 23.  Although  it  is  a  temptation  here 
for  the  second  trumpet  and  second  horn  to  take  the  lower 
/},  I  would  decidedly  dissuade  from  it.  Especially  in  con- 
junction with  the  first  bar  of  the  next  page,  I  find  the  leaps 

too  characteristic  to  justify  any  weakening  process. 

Page  42,  bars   4 — 11.    See   page  35,  bar  17    to  page  36, 
bar  3. 
The   following  four  bars  will  then  of  course   also  be   played 


and  possibly,  in  accordance  with  the  melodic  character,  with 
even  more  decided  emphasis  than  the  eight  preceding  ones. 

Weixgartnek,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  2 


iS 


FIRST  SYMPHONY 


Page  43,   bars  23  and  24;   page  44,  bars  i  and  2.     The 
series  of  chords 


represents  a  closed  melodic  and  harmonic  complex;  hence 
the  second  fcnnaia  should  be  taken  off,  but  not  the  first, 
which  should  also  be  held  on  for  a  shorter  time  in  order  to 
avoid  an  unsuitably  strong  interruption. 

Page  44,  bar  1 1  This  entry  of  the  /  on  the  last  but 
one  note  of  the  theme,  which  thereby  receives  a  sudden 
and  quite  inexplicable  jerk,  almost  makes  me  believe  in  a 
slip  of  the  author's ;  I  think  therefore  that  I  may  venture  on 
the  following  alteration  in  the  notation  which  I  feel  to  be  in 
keeping  with  Beethoven's  intention. 


[St  Violins  and  Flutes 


2nd  Violins,  Violas  and 
Bassos 


^ 


(/>) 
?_ 


f 


f-ä 


Page  45,  bars  19  and  21.  It  should  be  specially  men- 
tioned that  both  the  s/'s  in  the  oboes  and  horns  are  here 
only  "accents  in  /"  and  should  therefore  be  very  delicately 
executed.  The  wind  players  concerned  must  remember  that  the 
bars  18 — 21  generally  are  a /z^w^-repetition  of  the  preced- 
ing identical  /^r/^-passage.  It  is  just  these  two  sfs  which 
so  easily  mislead  into  playing  these  four  bars  also  loud  again. 


SECOND  SYMPHONY.  ig 


SECOND  SYMPHONY. 

The  second  symphony  stands  in  need  of  fewer  hints  as 
to  'execution  than  the  first,  and  the  alterations  here,  with 
the  exception  of  one  or  two  passages,  are  of  a  less  impor- 
tant nature.  It  is  so  simple  and  the  orchestral  colouring  is 
so  bright  and  vivid  that  an  animated  mode  of  execution 
seems  to  come  almost  of  itself.  Joyous  youth,  cheerful  fer- 
vour and  unbroken  strength  seem  to  constitute  the  founda- 
tions of  its  being.  To  approach  it  in  a  spirit  of  pale  reflection 
is  to  spoil  it  at  once. 

Page  3,  bar  i.  Tht  fermata  must  not  be  removed,  nor 
any  pause  be  inserted  after  it.  We  can  gather  this  from  a 
comparison  of  the  i^'  bar  with  the  5'*^,  in  which  the  same 
melody  proceeds  unbrokenly.  The  first  crotchet  must  be 
sustained  for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  then  the  con- 
ductor should  pass  straight  on  to  the  second  without  a  pause. 
This  is  immediately  split  up  into  two  quaver-beats,  the  whole 
orchestra  holds  on  the  first  quaver  as  dotted  crotchets  are 
prescribed,  and  the  parts  in  which  a  pause  occurs  do  not 
cease  until  the  conductor  gives  the  second  quaver;  then  the 
oboes  and  bassoons  continue  their  theme  starting  straight 
away  from  its  first  note,  the  D  of  the  fermata. 

The  metronome  mark  does  not  agree  with  the  direction 
adagio  motto,  so  I  have  adopted  ^  =  72. 

Page  4,  bar  3.  It  is  not  advisable  here  to  change  the 
high  .F  of  the  second  horn  into  the  low  one.  In  the  next  bar 
the  low  G  was  at  Beethoven's  disposal  and  yet  he  has  not 
used  it,  so  evidently  there  must  have  been  some  reason  for 
it.  Perhaps  he  wished  to  give  a  certain  sharpness  of  sound 
to  the  F  and  G^  and  considered  that  the  unison  of  the  deeper 
octave,  where  it  could  be  obtained,  would  have  weakened 
it.  Nor  does  the  entry  of  the  second  part  in  the  horns  in 
bar   5,    page  5,  seem   to  justify  an  alteration   of  the  unison 


20  SECOND  SYMFHON\-. 

in  the  preceding  bar.  Wherever  it  can  be  clearly  seen  that 
Beethoven  would  have  written  the  lower  notes  had  they  been 
at  his  disposal,  and  that  he  only  obeyed  necessity  in  writ- 
ing otherwise,  the  correction  may  safely  be  made.  But  in 
all  other  cases  this  transposition  should  be  avoided,  and  the 
thoughtful  musician  will  have  no  difficulty  in  recognising 
such  cases  if  he  will  only  take  the  trouble  to  educate  his 
artistic  taste  for  Beethoven's  style. 

Page  5,  bar  2.  The  sf  in  the  oboes  seems  rather  weak 
in  relation  to  the  naturally  much  more  powerful  sforzato 
which  precedes  and  follows  in  the  horns.  I  have  already 
heard  the  proposal  to  strengthen  the  oboes  here  by  means 
of  the  clarinets.  This  is  unnecessary,  however,  when  we  ob- 
serve that  the  whole  passage  bears  a  piano  character,  in 
accordance  with  which  the  horns  must  produce  their  notes 
very  gently;  then  the  naturally  rather  high-sounding  oboes 
will  obtain  their  full  value. 

Page  6,  bars  2 — 4.  A  poco  espressivo  should  be  added 
in  the  melodic  passage  for  the  tenor  violins  and  violoncellos. 
During  the  second  and  third  crotchets  of  the  last  of  these  three 
bars  these  instruments  should  play  slightly  diminuendo,  and 
should  continue  their  figuration  in  the  fifth  bar  of  this  page/, 
leaving  the  sustaining  of  the  melody  now  entirely  to  the  violins. 

Page  7.  Allegro  con  brio.  As  metronome  mark  I  re- 
commend  J  =  02   instead  of     !  =  100. 

Page  9,  bar  10.  This  is  another  of  those  sudden  pianos 
so  characteristic  of  Beethoven.  They  should  on  no  account 
be  either  overlooked  or  prepared  for  by  a  diminuendo^  nor 
should  they  be  in  any  way  facilitated  by  means  of  a  so- 
called  "breathing-pause".  I  shall  in  future  not  call  attention 
to  each  individual  case  as  it  occurs. 

Page  12,  bars  7 — 12.  Here  we  have  evidently  not  got 
to  do  with  a  sforzato  in  piano.  The  notes  marked  sf  must 
be  given  shortly  and  sharply,  in  contrast  to  the  others 
which  are  to  be  played  p. 


SECOND  SYMPHONY.  21 

Page  13.  In  this  movement  I  think  it  is  better  not  to 
repeat  the  first  part. 

Page  14,  bar  3  to  page  15,  bar  i.  The  quaver-passages 
in  the  wood-wind  stand  in  strong  opposition  to  those  of  the 
stringed-instruments.  That  is  apparent  to  the  eye  but  not 
to  the  ear  in  the  present  notation.  If  this  passage  is  played 
^throughout  as  prescribed,  the  wood-wind  is  almost  inaudible. 
The  short  sr mi-quaver  passages  also,  which  are  played  by 
one  flu*:f.     at  oboe  and  one  bassoon 


are  too  weak  in  comparison  with  those  of  the  first  violins. 
This  passage  then  is  one  of  the  few  where  a  radical  change 
cannot  be  held  to  be  impious;  on  the  contrary,  in  my  opinion 
it  is  urgently  demanded  by  a  pious  veneration  for  the  great 
work  of  the  great  master.  Waigner  hits  the  nail  on  the  head 
when,  in  reference  to  a  similar  radical  change  in  the  9*^  sym- 
phony which  we  shall  mention  later,  he  writes:  "In  deciding 
-such  questions,  we  have  to  make  up  our  minds  whether  we 
prefer  listening  to  a  piece  of  music  such  as  this  for  some 
time  without  obtaining  a  clear  idea  of  what  the  composer 
wished  to  express,  or  seeking  to  do  it  justice  by  means  of 
some  judicious  expedient".  In  order  therefore  to  render 
Beethoven's  intention  as  clear 'for  the  ear  as  it  is  for  the 
eye,  I  propose  the  following  alterations. 

The  second  flute  may  play  in  unison  with  the  first  from 
the  fifth  bar  on  page  14  to  the  end  of  the  passage  in  question. 
The  low  notes  of  this  part  in  bars  6 — 9  are  of  no  value  as 
regards  sound  compared  with  the  strong  string-chords  and 
the  other  wood-wind  parts,  which,  as  we  shall  see,  are  also 
correspondingly  strengthened.  The  low  notes  may-  therefore 
be  sacrificed  without  hesitation  to  a  more  powerful  treble. 


22 


SECOND  SYMPHONY. 


In  the  9^*"  bar  of  page  14  the  second  oboe  plays 


^^mm-'"'-^  "Ww^^ 


and  then  blows   in   unison   with  the  first  to  the  end  of  the 
passage. 

The  following  part  may  be  inserted  from  the  4'^  bar  of 
page  14  onwards  for  the  clarinets,  where  a  rest  is  prescri- 
bed for  them  in  the  oriorinal: 


:Äii?fe.^==3fe£t£if 


SgbJ 


ii^^i^^s^ 


The  sustained  notes  of  the  second  bassoon-part  in  bars 
6,  8  and  9  are  of  no  importance  in  so  far  as  the  same 
notes  are  given  by  the  horns  or  violoncellos  separately  or 
by  both  together.  From  the  third  bar  of  page  14  the  part 
of  the  bassoon  can  be  played  as  follows: 


bJ    ^    %\f^f,\t^. 


t^t 


liS 


SECOND  SYMPHONY. 


23 


Then  the  '.econd  bassoon  can  play  in  unison  with  the 
first  to  the  er.d  of  the  passage. 

In  the  8*^  and  9*^  bars  of  page  14  the  second  horn  blows 
the  lower  F,  In  addition  to  this,  every  semibreve  in  the 
horns  and  trumpets  throughout  the  passage  should  be  marked 
sfp  instead  of  sf.  In  the  9'^  bar,  in  which  also  a  specially 
strong  accent  is  needed  for  these  instruments,  the  ff  should 
be  changed  into  ff  ^==-. 

If,  with  these  alterations  and  additions,  the  wood-wind 
does  not  even  yet  acquire  sufficient  strength  —  this  depends 
on  its  position,  on  the  number  of  the  stringed  instruments, 
oa  the  acoustic  properties  of  the  hall  and  so  on  —  the 
violins  also  may  play  sfp  in  bars  6  and  8  of  page  14  and 
then  set  in  with  renewed  strength  in  each  next  bar  respectively. 

Page  16,  bars  8 — 16.  In  this  passage  even  the  best 
orchestra  tends  to  hurry  and  to  allow  the  crescendo  to  make 
its  entry  too  soon.  This  should  be  avoided,  as  it  quite  des- 
troys the  charm  of  this  sweet  passage. 

Page  20,  bars  5 — 7.     Here  we  should  expect 


^^fal^^^M=M#si:=g 


instead  of 


m 


g^-r^— p 


it 


W^^ 


^ 


t 


t 

but  as  changes  in  the  theme  when  it  is  repeated  are  charac- 
teristic of  Beethoven  we  dare  not  make  any  alteration  in 
the  text. 

Page  22,  bars  8 — 13.  See  what  has  been  said  for  page 
12,  bars  7 — 12. 

Page  23,  bar  17  and  page  24,  bar  4.  The  instruction 
given  for  the  second  violins  and  violas,  as  well  as  for  the 
oboe  and  first  bassoon  in  the  second  of  the  two  bars  quoted, 


24 


SECOND  SYMPHONY. 


should  be  carefully  observed,  viz.  that  the  up-beat  (the  four 
semi-quavers)  should  be  played  ff  and  that  the  p  should  not 
make  its  entry  until  the  first  crotchet  which  follows.  These 
notes,  which  are  so  important  for  the  theme,  are  often  inaudible, 
because  the  players  generally  prolong  the/>  of  the  immediately 
preceding  passage  over  the  up-beat  notes.  If  in  spite  of  the 
ff  they  are  still  not  sufficiently  in  evidence,  a  weakening  of 
the  other  instruments  in  the  second  half  of  the  bars  in 
question  at  the  conductor's  discretion  might  be  advisable. 

Page  24,  bar  15.  I  recommend  that  the  trumpets  should 
make  their  entry  here  mf  and  play  crescendo  until  the  ff 
of  the  following  bar. 

Page  24,  last  bar  and  following  ones.  The  use  of  open 
trumpet-notes  often  introduces  an  ugly-sounding,  noisy  "blare" 
into  the  classical  symphonies,  and  this  is  specially  the  case 
with  Beethoven.  It  is  therefore  advisable  not  always  to 
allow  these  instruments  to  play  with  their  full  force  even 
in  the  forte  passages,  but  to  reserve  this  for>  the  points 
where  the  climax  is  reached.  Skilful  blowers  will  feel  where 
such  gradations  in  the  forte  can  be  made.  Those  who  have 
not  got  sufficiently  fine  feeling  will  have  to  be  guided  by 
the  conductor.  It  would  take  me  too  far  if  I  were  to  point 
out  each  individual  passage  where  such  treatment  might  be 
required;  I  will  therefore  merely  indicate  one  or  two  cases 
which  will  serve  as  examples.  Thus,  from  the  20'*^  bar  of 
page  24  onwards  the  distinctive  feature  is  the  splendid  con- 
trast between  the  violin  flights  and  the  bass-figures.  I 
should  therefore  let  the  trumpets,  and  also  the  kettle-drums, 
though  these  with  slightly  diminished  strength,  play  mf  from 
the  above-mentioned  bar  onwards.  In  the  4^^  bar  of  page 
25  the  very  natural  accent  prescribed  should  be  given,  and 
thereupon  the  instruments  in  question  should  resume  their 
mf  with  a  slight  cresce?ido  in  bars  6  and  7  so  as  to  be  able 
to  play  the  final  fanfare  in  all  its  splendour.  A  suitable 
treatment   of  the  loudest   instruments,  such    as   I   have   just 


SECOND  SYMPHONY. 


25 


described,  will  often  present  these  longer  /^r/^-passages  in 
an  extremely  favorable  light,  whereas  a  continuous,  uniform 
^  in  those  parts  which  are  so  strong  already  by  nature, 
often  merely  produces  a  most  unartistic  noise. 


Page  26.  As  metronome  mark  I  have  adopted  J^  =  84 
instead  of  J^  =  92. 

Page  26,  bars  17 — 20.  The  string-quartett  might  phrase 
carefully  as  follows: 


m 


^m 


4e^ 


^^^m^^^^ 


Page  27,  bars  2—5.  The  clarinets  and  bassoons  should 
phrase  this  passage  in  the  same  way,  whilst  the  strings  and 
horns  play  quite  />/>. 

Page  27,  bars  18.  and  19.  The  second  horn  plays  the 
lower  F  from  the  up-beat  onwards. 

Page  27,  bar  22.  The  conductor  should  use  his  own 
judgment  as  to  whether  this  //  is  not  better  played  by  the 
first  horn  only,  in  which  case  the  second  would  make  its 
entry  at  the  ff  in  the  following  bar. 

Page  28,  bars  2 — 4.  The  first  violins  might  phrase  this 
passage  in  a  gently  animating  way  as  follows: 


whereas  during   the  following  demi-semi-quaver  variation  a 
very  uniform  /  must  be  maintained. 

Page  30,  bars  6 — 8.  First  clarinet  and  first  bassoon  should 
be  somewhat  prominent;  they  might  be  marked  m/.  In  the 
3'^^  bar  a  äzmmuenäo  begins,  and  lasts  till  the  first  crotchet 


26  SECOND  SYMPHONY. 

of  the  next  bar,  which  must  be  played  p.  The  same  holds 
for  the  analogous  passage  later  on,  viz.  the  three  last  bars 
of  page  38. 

Page  31,  bars  11  — 15.  This  beautiful  passage  will  bear 
a  very  slight,  scarcely  noticeable  diminution  in  the  speed; 
then  the  crescendo  in  the  two  following  bars  leads  to  the 
resumption  of  the  original  time  at  /.  The  same  holds  for 
the  similar  passage  page  32,  bars  2 — 9.  In  the  first  bar 
of  page  32,  the  ^  minor  chord  in  the  flutes,  oboes,  bassoons, 
horns,  violas,  violoncellos  and  bassos  should  be  furnished 
with  a  staccato-sign  and  played  short,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
clashing  of  the  G  with  the  immediately  following  C-sharp 
in  the  second  violins. 

Page  12^  bar  12  to  page  33,  bar  2.  In  order  to  bring 
the  other  parts  more  into  prominence,  the  second  violins 
and  violas  should  play  the  constantly  recurring  C  with 
slightly  diminished  force  (mf).  The  füll  ff  does  not  come 
in  again  in  these  parts  until  the  3'"'^  bar  of  page  33. 

Page  34,  bars  2 — 5.  The  preceding  crescendo^  with  its 
melodic  and  harmonic  gradation  which  lasts  through  eleven 
bars,  together  with  the  energetic  rendering  of  the  ff  (six 
bars  before)  will  naturally  have  caused  a  quickening  of  the 
time,  which  in  these  bars  can  be  brought  back  gently  to 
the  normal  time  of  the  theme  by  means  of  a  poco  riteniito. 

P'^to^  35?  bars  2 — 5  and  bars  10 — 13.  See  page  26, 
bars   17  —  20  and  page  27,  bars  2 — 5. 

Page  36,  bars   19 — 21.     See  page  28,  bars  2 — 4. 


Page  43.     It  is  advisable  to  play  the  Trio   rather  more 
quietly  than  the  main  section;  this  is  advantageous  to  the  gra- 
ceful   theme,    and    also    to    the    characteristic    middle-part 
(F-sharp  major  on  the   string   quartett).     Any    hastening   o 
the  whole  movement  should  be  carefully  avoided. 


SECOND  SYMPHONY.  27 

Page  45.  I  adopt  J  =  132  as  metronome  mark  instead 
of  ^.=  152. 

Page  45,  bars  12 — 18.  Should  the  first  flute,  the  first 
oboe  and  the  first  bassoon  not  be  considered  penetrating 
enough  here,  they  may  be  strengthened  by  the  second 
instruments  playing  in  unison.  In  any  case  I  should  recom- 
mend a  slight  weakening  of  the  sound  in  the  horns  and 
trumpets  after  the  /  and  the  sf^  unless  the  players  concer- 
ned have  a  true  enough  perception  to  do  it  on  their  own 
initiative.  The  full  /  enters  again  at  the  last  crotchet  of 
the  last  bar.    The  same  holds  good  for  page  54,  bars  2 — 8. 

Page  46,  bars  8 — 11.  Violoncellos,  second  violins  and 
violas  should  play  espressivo  dolce\  clarinets  and  bassoons 
should  do  likewise  in  bars  14 — 17  whilst  the  string-quartett 
accompanies  them  pp.  In  the  12'^  and  13^^  bars«  I  have 
adopted  for  the  whole  string-quartett  the  phrasing  which  I 
give  in  the  following  quotation  for  the  first  violin: 


All  this  is  done  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  dignified 
animation  in  the  piece,  not  an  unartistic  aftectation.  From 
bar  14  to  the  first  crotchet  of  bar  18  the  first  horn  alone 
will  probably  suffice. 

Page  51,  bars  7,  9,  13  and  15.  First  flute  and  first  oboe 
may  be  strengthened  by  the  second  parts  playing  in  unison 
in  so  far  as  the  acoustic  conditions  seem  to  demand  it. 

Page  51,  bar  18.  In  order  not  to  drown  the  wood-wind 
it  is  advisable  here,  especially  when  the  string-quartett  is  at 
its  full  strength,  to  begin  only  poco  crescendo^  and  not  to 
introduce  the  full  crescendo  until  the  second  bar  of  page  52. 
Then  the  flutes  and  oboes  may  be  doubled  by  means  of 
the  second  parts,  as  follows: 


28 


SECOND  SYMPHONY. 


1  a  i 


<     i     i 


<-f-J— M-* 


-y^ 


li: 


m 


Page  52,  bars  12  — 14.  As  the  flute  and  the  oboe  cannot 
be  doubled  here  on  account  of  the  characteristic  entry  of 
the  second  parts  a  httle  later  on,  it  is  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance to  introduce  a  diminution  of  sound  every  time  after 
the  ff  and  sf  in  the  semibreves ,  and  to  play  ff/>  and  s/p. 
The  same  holds  for  the  horns  and  trumpets  in  bars  18  and 
19.  The  full  _^  should  not  make  its  entry  before  the  4*^  bar 
of  page  53. 

Page  54,  bar  16  to  page  55,  bar  3.  See  page  46, 
bars  8 — 17. 

Page  56,  bars  14 — 17.  A  gloomy  mfnor  tone  suddenly 
disturbs  the  exuberant  gaiety  of  this  symphony  like  the 
presage  of  some  awful  fate.  I  have  applied  the  //  of  the 
deep  horns,  trumpets  and  kettle-drums,  which  give  such  a 
wonderful  sound,  to  the  whole  orchestra,  and  then  allowed 
these  four  bars  to  be  played  distinctly  more  softly  than  the 
preceding  major  passage.  By  this  means  the  following 
variations  in  force  which  occur  in  the  passage  up  to  the 
joyful  /  in  bar  5  of  page  57,  produce  a  greater  effect. 
The  sf  in  the  4^*^  bar  should  barely  be  observed.  The 
violins  start  from  //  on  the  following  crescendo^  which  should 
be  most  delicately  executed.  The  /  in  the  quartett-parts 
had  also  better  be  omitted. 

Page  58,  bar  20  to  page  59,  bar  4.  In  order  to  make 
a  stand  against  the  stormy  entry  of  the  string,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  strengthen  the  first  flute  and  the  first  oboe 
by  the  second  instruments  from  the  up-beat  notes  onward. 
Then,  from  the  introduction  of  the  horns  and  trumpets 
(page    59,   bar   2)    the    second   bassoon   also    can    play    the 


THIRD  SYMPHONY.  29 

two  bars  starting  from^,  instead  of  making  a  pause.  The  system 
of  doubling  the  wood-wind  in  large  orchestras  for  some  of 
Beethoven's  symphonies  will  soon  be  discussed  more  in  detail. 

Page  60.  Both  fcnnatas  may  be  taken  off  and  then 
brought  in  again  after  short  pauses;  the  same  holds  for  the 
fcrmata  on  page  63. 

Page  61,  bar  7=  We  have  here  a  //  preceded  by  a  r==— 
which  lasts  for  four  bars.  As  however  the  part  which  pre- 
cedes this  ::=—  is  also  marked  pp ^  evidently  the  lightest 
sound  which  the  orchestra  can  possibly  obtain  is  designed 
for  the  passage  which  follows  this  mark.  It  is  specially 
important  for  the  six  bars  in  which  the  string-quartett  is 
playing  alone  (page  61,  bars  11 — 16)  to  produce  a  feeling 
of  breathless  expectation,  which  is  then  happily  relieved  by 
the  magnificent  entry  of  the  second-chords  in  bar  17. 

Page  63.  In  the  eight  bars  which  follow  the  fermata^ 
the  time  should  be  held  back  in  a  tender,  I  might  almost 
say  "furtive",  manner;  then  at  the  entry  of  ^  on  page  64 
(bar  5  with  the  up-beat)  normal  time  can  be  resumed  again 
and  maintained  to  the  end. 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 

For  the  third,  fifth,  seventh  and  ninth  symphonies,  and 
also  for  some  parts  of  the  pastoral-symphony,  it  is  advisable 
for  the  wood-wind  to  be  doubled  (i.  e.  four  flutes,  four  oboes, 
four  clarinets  and  four  bassoons),  if  the  string-quartett  is  at 
its  full  strength.  It  is  not  so  much  with  the  object  of  streng- 
thening it  that  thiö  may  be  done,  but  rather  for  the  sake  of 
clearness,  as  I  hope  I  have  made  plain  in  the  previous  cases 
where  I  have  recommended  a  doubling  of  the  wood-wind. 
It  is  therefore  noi  sufficient  simply  to  tell  the  ripieno  players 
to  accompany  in  the  /o//^- passages  —  a.  very  primitive 
proceeding  which   often  does  more  harm  than  good  —  but 


30 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


the  places  where  the  double  strength  will  be  beneficial  must 
be  very  carefully  and  tastefully  chosen  out  and  accurately 
noted.  Moreover,  as  we  shall  see,  the  wood-wind  should  not 
all  be  strengthened  simultaneously;  it  may  easily  happen  that 
one  or  two  parts,  sometimes  even  a  second  part  alone, 
needs  the  doubling.  The  most  practical  method  of  proce- 
dure is  the  following.  At  the  beginning  of  the  passages  a 
D  (double)  may  be  written  where  the  doubling  is  to  begin 
and  an  S  (single)  where  it  is  to  stop.  The  supplementary 
player  can  take  his  stand  at  the  reading  desk  of  the  chief 
player  (in  the  first  or  second  part)  and  must  then  be  given 
the  strictest  directions  to  play  only  what  comes  between  a 
Z?  and  an  5 — not  a  note  more.  In  a  small  orchestra  there 
is  of  course  no  object  in  doubling,  as  the  wood-wind  would  be 
rendered  quite  out  of  proportion  to  the  string-quartett.  My 
recommendations  on  this  head  refer  only  to  large  orchestras 
with  some   i6  first  violins  and  8  contrabassos. 

Page  3.  The  metronome  mark  !  =  60  produces  such  a 
quick  time  that  many  passages,  e.  g.  the  violin-figures  on 
page  12,  cannot  possibly  be  clearly  brought  out.  In  fact, 
if  this  time  were  uniformly  observed,  the  whole  movement 
would  acquire  a  hasty,  even  trivial  character  which  is  quite 
contrary  to  its  nature.  I  have  therefore  adopted  the  metro- 
nome mark  !  =  54  or  thereabouts,  by  which  I  do  not  mean 
to  say  that  many  parts  must  not  be  played  even  more 
calmly  still.  I  would  also  observe  that  this  notation  by  no 
means  involves  the  instruction  to  conduct  this  bar  in  whole 
bars  (i.  e.  one  beat  for  each  bar)  throughout.  This  manner 
of  conducting  would  be  quite  right  for  many  passages,  but 
there  are  others  in  which  the  beating  of  the  three  crotchets, 
or  at  any  rate  the  marking  of  the  first  and  third,  is  neces- 
sary. The  melodic  expression  and  the  spirited  rhythm  will 
be  the  best  guides  in  this  case. 

Page  5,  bar  8.  Second  horn  and  second  trumpet  take 
the  lower  D. 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


31 


Page  5,  bars  8 — 17.  Here,  and  wherever  the  melody  is 
similarly  broken  up  into  short  phrases  on  different  instru- 
ments, the  dotted  notes  of  each  phrase  should  be  carefully 
held  on,  the  quaver  should  not  be  played  too  short,  nor 
the  last  note  too  loud,  in  fact  it  should  be  slightly  dying 
away  and  therefore  weaker  than  the  two  preceding  ones. 
This  might  be  shown  in  writing  as  follows: 


where  the  signs  —  must  not  be  confused  with  the  ^s  which 
are  prescribed*  in  the  9'^  and  10'^  bars  of  the  passage  quoted, 
and  which  must  be  executed  in  these  bars  only.  A  very 
slight  modification  of  the  time,  just  enough  to  prevent  the 
melody  from  seeming  hurried,  is  justifiable  here,  but  this 
must  give  the  impression  of  being  a  result  of  the  feeling, 
not  of  being  done  intentionally.  If  anyone  does  not  feel 
capable  of  doing  this,  he  had  better  not  vary  the  time  at  all. 

The  conductor  must  decide  whether  it  is  better  to  let 
the  first  horn  play  alone  in  bars  10 — 16.  In  any  case  the 
second  horn  might  take  the  lower  D  in  bars  18  and  19,  as 
well  as  in  bars  22  and  23  of  this  page. 

Page  7,  bars  2  —  7.  Second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
should  take  the  lower  D.  I  should  advise  also  that  in  the 
4'Jl  bar  of  this  page  all  the  wind  instruments  begin  p  and 
play  crescefido  to  -ff  during  this  bar  and  the  following.  The 
natural  expression  will  probably  have  carried  the  string-in- 
struments away  and  they  will  be  playing  ff  before  this  is 
prescribed  in  the  score.  The  above  treatment  of  the  wind- 
instruments,  however,  will  obtain  the  increase  of  dynamic 
expression  intended  by  the  author,  without  causing  an  ob- 
struction of  the  sound,  which  would  have  quite  the  wrong 
effect. 


3- 


THIRD  SYMPHONY 


Page  7,  bars  8  and  following.  A  skilful  conductor  will 
be  able  to  hold  back  the  time  at  the  entry  of  the  secon- 
dary theme  to  just  the  extent  that  the  execution  of  the /^r- 
tamento  demands,  without  interrupting  the  course  of  the  piece. 
This  slowing-down  of  the  time  might  perhaps  slightly  in- 
crease from  the  last  bar  but  two  of  page  7  onward?,  so  that 
the  pp  in  the  second  and  following  bars  of  page  8  can  be 
played  at  a  comparatively  quiet  speed,  by  which  means 
the  exciting  effect  is  increased.  The  entry  of  the  quaver- 
movement  and  the  crescendo  then  lead  back  quite  naturally 
to  the  principal  theme. 

Page  9,  bar  5.  The  .^^'s  in  the  preceding  bars  naturally 
cause  a  slight  weakening  of  the  three  notes  which  immed- 
iately follow  them.  In  this  bar  therefore  a  powerful  crescendo 
is  desirable,  to  meet  the  sharp  ff  of  the  following  shocks. 

Page  9,  bars  6 — 9.  It  is  evident  that  here  it  is  only  due 
to  the  imperfection  of  the  instruments  at  his  disposal,  that 
Beethoven  was  hindered  from  making  use  of  the  full  power 
of  the  horns;  I  have  therefore  taken  upon  myself  to  com- 
plete the  horn-parts  in  these  bars  by  the  addition  of  the 
notes  designated  by  arrows  in  the  following  passage: 


ist  and  2nd 
Horns 


3rd  Horn 


=i-i 


rf        /-f      li 


^^- 


:r:4=t:^ 


Jf 


I  did  not  think  it  advisable  to  make  a  similar  addition 
m  the  trumpets  also,  as  this  would  destroy  the  gradation  of 
effect  obtained  in  the  analogous  passage  on  page  28  (bars  2  and 
following),  where  the  trumpets  blow  in  unison  throughout. 
I  should  recommend  however  that  in  this  passage  the  trum- 
pets  and  kettle-drums   only  play  mf^  as   an  ff  in  these  in- 


THIRD  SYMPHONY.  33 

which  only  come  into  play  for  a  few  chords, 
would  lessen  the  value  of  the  orchestral  shocks  which  were 
evidently  intended  to  be  uniformly  strong.  The  following 
sforzato  strokes  might  then  be  executed  at  full  jf. 

Page  9,  bars  19  and  20  and  page  10,  bars  i  and  2.  For 
the  first  violins  and  the  first  flute  I  recommend  the  following 
mode  of  execution 


I 


teJ^-f^i^T^-r^HT^ 


with  a  view  to  a  gently  graduated  preparation  for  the  com- 
ing strong  crescendo  (Page  10,  bars  3 — 5). 

Page  10,  bars  5  und  6.  Second  horn  and  second  trum- 
pet take  the  lower  D. 

In  this  movement  I  think  it  is  desirable  to  omit  the  re- 
petition of  the  first  part  and  consequently  the  fT"]  •  The 
effect  of  the  wonderful  development  and  of  the  unusually 
long  Coda  is  thereby  enhanced,  because  the  hearer's  re- 
ceptive power'  remains  more  unimpaired  than  if  he  has  to 
experience  the  first  part  over  again.  It  always  seems  to  me 
too  that  the  transition  of  the  |  i  |  is  rather  conventional  com- 
pared with  the  rest  of  the  movement.  The  continuous  pp 
at  the  I  2  ,  which  must  on  no  account  be  disturbed  by  sen- 
timental variations  of  the  sighing  order,  must  only  be  in- 
creased to  a  moderate  crescendo  and  sf  in  the  5^''  and  6'^  bars 
of  page  II.  If  the  conductor  finds  it  necessary  to  introduce 
a  slight  moderation  of  the  time  at  the  beginning  of  the  [T~, 
he  must  not  omit  to  revert  to  the  normal  tempo  in  the 
7'^  bar  of  page  11.  For  the  execution  of  the  melody  scatter- 
ed over  different  instruments  in  bars  7—18  of  page  11  and 
bar  10  of  page  14  to  bar  7  of  page  15,  see  what  has  been 
said  for  page  5,  bars  8 — 17. 

Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  3 


34 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


Page  12,  bars  4 — 11  and  page  13,  bars  2 — 9.  To  facilitate 
a  clear  rendering  of  the  figuration,  which  is  endangered  less 
by  the  wind-players  than  by  the  powerful  octaves  of  the 
violins,  I  have  adopted  the  following  notation  for  the  violins 
in  these  passages: 


[StViol. 


2nd  Viol. 


Si- -^ 


^EEEa«EE^EEE 


=*^ 


E^- 


t^r 


-     &c. 


^m^mw^m] 


I  need  not  mention  that  the  bassos  and  violas  should  give 
the  principal  theme  v/ith  as  much  force  as  possible. 

Page  15,  bar  15  and  following.  From  here  to  the  end 
of  the  8^^  bar  on  page  17  the  wood-wind  can  play  doubled; 
this  is  very  advantageous  for  the  imitative  interpolations  and 
also  for  the  following  powerful  /z^Z/z-passage. 

Page  16,  bars  2 — 13.  The  enormous  weight  of  this  pas- 
sage leads  us  to  suppose  that  the  pausing  of  the  brass-in- 
struments in  some  bars  is  merely  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
suitable  notes  for  certain  chords  were  not  at  Beethoven's 
disposal.  (He  evidently  very  much  disliked  the  dull  sound 
of  the  stopped-notes  in  the  natural  horns,  as  he  has  obstinately 
persisted  in  using  them  as  seldom  as  possible).  To  begin 
with,  the    second    trumpet   here    should   take  the  lower  V. 


THIRD  SYMPHONY, 


35 


Then  in  bars  8 — 13,  I  have  replaced  the  rests  in  the  horns 
and  the  trumpets  by  the  following     parts : 


[St  and  2°«^  Horn 


ist  and 

2ndTrump. 


m 


CJ^^CJ^ 


I 


^■■ 


^^^ 


w 


i 


V 


5/     /  «/^^  if     'f  'f 


The  kettle-drum  passage  in  the  next  bar  must  then  follow 
very  powerfully  and  emphatically. 

Page  17,  bar  13  to  page  18,  bar  5.  From  the  fact  that 
all  accents  in  the  j5"-minor  passage  are  marked  s/pj  where- 
as the  same  accents  in  the  following  analogous  /^-mirior 
passage  are  marked  s/^  we  can  conclude  that  the  second 
passage  has  to  be  played  with  a  somewhat  more  intensified 
expression  than  the  first,  so  that  it  is  not  simply  a  trans- 
posed repetition,  but  is  destined  also  to  form  a  transition  to 
the  energetic  period  beginning  at  bar  8  of  page  18.  A  more 
distinct  rendering  of  the  sf  than  of  the  s//>  will  also  justify 
us  in  placing  a  short  crescendo  before,  and  a  short  diminuendo 
after  the  marks  in  question, 


f^^^^^^%^^fr^f#^ 


both  of  which  must  be  animated  and  full  of  feeling,  but  not 
affected  or  exaggerated.  The  6'^  bar  of  page  18  may  remain 
;>,  then  the  following  crecsendo  comes  in  with  all  the» more 
effect. 

Page  18,   bars  12  —  17.     I  have   introduced  the  following* 
notation  for  the  trumpets: 

I I—  1^ 


36 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


In  accordance  with  this,  the  trumpets  and  kettle-drums 
in  bars  3 — 6  of  page  19  may  gradate  as  follows: 


Page  19,  bars  17 — 20.  When  the  preceding  melodic  pas- 
sage of  the  wood-wind  has  been  executed  with  great  ex- 
pressiveness, it  seems  to  me  that  these  four  bars  ought  to 
be  played  a  gentle  /,  without  the  -=c  and  r=— .  Then, 
with  the  corresponding  change  of  the  sf  in  the  whole  quartett, 
the  following  four  bars  may  be  graduated  throughout,  as  in 
the  following  quotation  (for  the  bassos). 


HFf^ 


Ä 


Page  20,  bar  4  to  page  21,  bar  2.  Here  the  wood-wind  be- 
gins a  wonderful  imitative  passage,  which  forms  a  splendid 
contrast  to  the  ever-more- boldly  rising  bassos.  The  parts 
are  not  all  of  equal  importance.  At  the  beginning,  for  example, 
I  think  the  second  flute  has  to  come  into  greater  prominence 
than  the  first,  because  it  has  to  imitate  the  bassoon  and  the 
clarinet  with  the  same  notes,  that  is  to  say,  melodically  as 
well  as  rhythmically.  I  therefore  recommend  that  first 
bassoon,  first  clarinet  and  second  flute  be  doubled.  From 
bar  8  of  page  20  the  first  flute  should  play  double,  and 
the  second  single;  from  bar  21  the  second  clarinet  should 
be  double,  and  the  first  single  again.  All  the  other  instru- 
ments should  play  single.  If  no  doubled  wood-wind  is  to 
be  had,  the  conductor  must  let  the  parts  marked  double  be 
rather  more  in  evidence.  We  then  get  the  following  melodic 
scheme,  which  is  not  only  distinct  and  simple  for  the  eye, 
but  renders  the  whole  passage  particularly  luminous: 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 

(2nd  Fl.) 


37 


^ — rrVH^ 


(ist  CI.)*) 


I 


?f^=F^+^^=j 


^^F=^ 


(I St  Bassoon) 


3^" 


§s 


tE£ 


^ 


f,,,f    f,^ 


j2»Ji 


B^^El 


*=* 


I 


EE 


'J2ß-M 


4=t 


W=l=f=t 


^    1^- 


-m^^rf=^ 


^=1 


?ES 


I 


i;=£ 


i=q=4 


-^_fe 


(ist  Fl.) 


*l 


1  I 


I 


-4=i 


S^^ 


qctl=f=;=:j^^7=;^^ 


:J=t 


5=£ 


^ 


'fe=£^& 


b*    ± 


1^^;^] 


38 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


P 


fr^^^if 


^         t 


^^ 


^i: 


(tst  Ob. 


£• 


^ 


¥  f|frir^l#==fe 


££ 


*)  The  clarinets  have  been  transposed  back  again  here  for  the  sake 
of  greater  clearness. 

From  the  last  bar  but  one  on  page  20  (the  last  bar  of 
the  above  quotation)  only  the  first  oboe  plays  doubled,  the 
rest  (starting  from  the  next  bar)  single.  From  bar  3  of  page  2 1 
onward  during  the  ff^  all  instruments  play  doubled ;  then  at 
the  p  in  the  11^^  bar  all  become  single  again. 

Page  22^  bars  5  and  6.  This  extraordinary  passage  has 
been  much  discussed  and  even  corrected.  Wagner  thought 
to  improve  it  by  changing  the  A  flat  of  the  second  violin 
into  G^  but  he  only  made  it  worse.  This  strange  proceeding 
has  never  been  imitated  as  far  as  I  know.  I  have  also  heard 
the  view  expressed,  that  a  high  ^-horn  was  meant  here  and 
that  Beethoven  simply  forgot  to  notify  the  change  of  pitch. 
In  the  six-bar-rest  however,  which  is  all  that  would  have 
been  at  the  disposal  of  the  second  horn,  this  change  of 
pitch  would  have  been  absolutely  impossible  on  the  natural 
horns  of  that  day,  where  crooks  had  too  be  taken  off 
and  inserted..  We  see  too  in  the  same  passage  that 
Beethoven  gives  the  first  horn  41  bars  to  change  from  the 
^ flat  to  the  i^  pitch,  *and  no  less  than  89  bars  to  get  back 
into  the  ^flat  pitch  again.  There  is  no  doubt  that  we  have 
to  do  here  with  an  inspired  anticipation  of  the  leading-key. 
I  have  made  no  change  myself,  and  I  hope  that  in  future  no-one 
will  feel  called  upon  to  explain  away  this  bold  inspiration. 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


39 


Page  24,  bars  5 — 14.     See  page  5,  bars  8 — 17. 

Page  26,  bars  i  and  2.  See  page  7,  bars  3  and  4.  (The 
kettle-drum  might  give  its  B  piano.) 

Page  26,  bar  5  and  following.  See  page  7,  bar  8  and 
following. 

Tage  27,  bar  11.  First  flute  takes  the  high  B  on  the 
second  crotchet,  instead  of  the  low  one,  which  evidently 
could  not  be  obtained  on  the  old-fashioned  flutes.  We  shall 
often  have  occasion  to  notice  that  Beethoven  prefers  intro- 
ducing strange  changes  into  the  melody  to  writing  this  note, 
which  is  now  at  the  disposal  of  every  flute-player. 

Page  28,  bar  i.     See  page  9,  bar  5. 

Page  28,  bars  15 — 18.  See  page  9,  bar  19  to  page  10,  bar  2. 

Page  29,  last  bar  to  page  30,  bar  8.  I  have  graduated 
the  very  important  part  of  the  first  oboe  as  follows: 


|^^^^^^^gl^JEg:S=g^fe^ 


S 


t=t- 


^ 


:i=4: 


PP 

Page  30,  last  bar  to  page  31,  bar  6.  In  striking  contrast 
to  the  very  rare  use  which  Beethoven  generally  makes  of 
the  stopped  notes,  this  passage  contains  no  less  than  seven 
such  notes  in  the  part  of  the  third  horn.  Evidently  Beethoven 
had  a  skilful  player  at  his  command.  There  was  less  danger 
however  in  this  passage  of  any  harm  being  done  by  the 
questionable  notes,  because  the  violoncello  and  the  first  bassoon 
were  playing  at  the  same  time.  This  passage  proves,  how- 
ever, that  Beethoven  did  not  abstain  from  such  notes  on 
principle,  but  on  purely  technical  grounds.  No  objection 
can  be  raised  therefore  to  a  moderate  adjustment  of  certain 
passages  if  care  be  taken  not  to  interfere  with  the  style  of 
the  piece. 


40 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


Page   31,    bar    16   to  page    32,    bar   3.     The   wood-wind 
should  gradate  as  follows: 


^Esir; 


Pl>' 


ig^^iö 


v^'-^—r 


^ 


Page  32,  bar  8.  This  second  crescejido^  prescribed  so 
soon  after  the  first  one,  seems  to  me  to  render  it  advisable 
to  begin  this  bar  with  a  slight  decrease  in  sound  but  without 
the  preceding  dimi7iu£ndo\  this  heightens  the  effect  of  the 
short  swell  which  immediately  follows. 

Page  33,  bars  8 — 14.  The  theme,  which  seems  to  be 
an  imitation  of  the  first  violins,  must  be  thrown  into  relief 
by  the  horns,  but,  of  course,  without  interfering  with  the 
pianO'VidXwx^  of  the  whole  passage. 

Page  34,  bars  5 — 12.  Biilow  here  allowed  the  theme 
to  be  played  throughout  by  the  trumpets  as  follows: 


4 


U 


wm^- 


-^^ 


fc 


-t^— 


-25^ 


The  indistinct  character  of  the  theme  when  played  without 
this  correction,  quite  justifies  us  in  adopting  it. 

Page  34,  bars  13  and  14.  The  second  trumpet  may 
here  take  the  lower  B.  The  rest  in  the  trumpets  at  the 
last  bar  of  this  page  is  intentional,  as  Beethoven  might  have 
used  either  the  E  (g)  or  the  C  [e  flat)  as  natural  notes. 
There  is  therefore  no  need  for  any  addition  to  be  made  here. 

The  wood-wind  may  begin  to  play  doubled  in  the  first 
bar  of  page  34   on   the  second  quaver  (the  oboes  naturally 


THIRD  SYMPHONY.  4 1 

in  the  next  bar).  From  the  4'^  bar  of  page  35  they  may 
play  single  again,  then  doubled  from  the  16»^  bar  (second 
crotchet)  of  this  page  onward. 


Page  36.  The  stepping-forward  character  of  this  movement 
must  be  preserved  in  spite  of  the  adagio  assai.  It  would 
therefore  be  unnatural  for  the  time  to  be  too  slow.  The 
metronome  mark  ^  =  80  however  gives  such  an  alarmingly 
quick  time  that  it  cannot  possibly  be  the  right  one.  I 
adopt  J^  =  66  as  the  normal  speed,  which  can  be  occasion- 
ally increased  to    h  =  72. 

Biilow  has  already  pointed  out  that  the  three  first  Cs 
in  the  bassos  are  introduced  by  grace-notes,  and  that  these, 
in  contrast  to  the  later,  written-out,  demi-semiquavers,  must 
not  be  played  thus 


m-r^g^rt 


but  that  the  G  marks  the  first  point  of  the  bar,  which 
however  is  followed  by  the  other  notes  in  such  quick  suc- 
cession that  they  only  form  one  rhythmic  value.  The  same 
holds  good,  of  course,  for  the  similar  passage  on  page  43. 
It  is  striking  however  that  here  the  notes  preceding  the 
third  C  have  a  different  notation  from  those  in  our  passage, 
whereas  in  all  other  points  the  similarity  is  complete.  I 
do  not  know  of  any  reason  for  this,  but  of  course  the  will 
of  the  master  must  be  obeyed. 

Page  37,  bars  3  and  4.  Here  I  should  recommend  to 
let  the  first  horn  play  alone. 

Page  39,  bars  10 — 13.  The  expression  of  this  passage 
justifies  the  following  gradation  in  all  parts: 


42 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


Page  39,  bars  14  and  15.  The  weakness  of  the  bass  in 
the  second  bassoon  compared  with  the  strength  of  the  horns 
united  on  the  C,  makes  it  advisable  to  play  the  second 
bassoon  doubled,  if  doubled  wood-wind  is  to  be  had;  pos- 
sibly even  the  two  free  bassoons  might  also  play  these  two 
bars  in  unison  with  the  second  bassoon.  But  the  streng- 
thening must  cease  at  the  G  (last  bar  of  page  30).  If  double 
wood-wind  is  not  to  be  had,  it  must  be  left  to  the  fine  per- 
ceptions of  the  conductor  as  to  whether  the  following  part 
should  be  given  to  the  second  horn,  instead  of  the  prescri- 
bed part. 


&c. 


By  this  means,  it  is  true,  we  get  rid  of  the  evil  of  the  weak 
bass,  but  the  whole  passage,  to  my  mind,  acquires  a  cha- 
racter foreign  to  Beethoven's  style. 

Page  40.  I  have  often  heard  the  "maggiore"  rendered 
sentimental  by  a  heavy  slowness  of  the  time,  or  wasted  by 
a  graceful  hastening  of  the  speed.  There  is  not  the  slight- 
est reason  for  changing  the  normal  time  of  this  melody,  so 
affecting  in  its  simplicity. 

Page  40,  last  bar  but  one.  In  order  not  to  drown  the 
wood-wind  the  crescendo  in  this  bar  should  be  only  modera- 
tely given  by  the  string-quartett,  especially  if  this  is  numer- 
ous; not  before  the  second  half  of  the  next  bar,  two  quavers 
before  the  ff^  should  it  be  energetically  executed. 

Page  42,  bar  3.  I  believe  we  are  justified  in  this  bar  in 
introducing  a  slight  swell  of  sound  in  oboe  and  bassoon, 
and  in  the  next  bar  but  one  a  swell  followed  by  a  decrease 
on  the   G  in  oboe  and  horns,  which  may  be  noted  thus, 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


43 


I 


e 


-0^ 


if  this  gradation  is  skilfully  carried  out. 

Page  42,  bar  6  to  page  43,  bar  i.  In  order  that  the 
playing  of  the  wind  may  be  audible,  the  strings  should 
pay  no  attention  to  the  first  crescendo,  and  should  only  be- 
gin to  play  crescendo  where  the  sempre  piu  f  stands,  i.  e. 
two  bars  before  the  ff.  Then  the  /  for  the  quartett  in  the 
last  bar  of  page  42  would  have  to  be  omitted  likewise. 

In  the  first  four  bars  of  page  41  and  bars  2 — 5  of  page 
43  the  wood-wind  should  play  doubled. 

Page  44  to  page  46,  bar  8.  This  grandiose  Fugato 
should  not  be  in  the  least  hurried;  it  should  advance  with 
brazen  foot-steps  like  the  chorus  in  a  tragedy  of  Aeschylus. 

The  wood-wind  should  play  doubled  throughout.  In  the 
2^^  and  3*^^  bars  of  page  45  the  second  horn  and  second 
trumpet  should  take  the  lower  F\  in  the  rest  of  the  passage 
they  remain  however  as  they  stand.  From  the  7^^  to  the 
11^^  bar  the  first  and  second  horns  should  play  in  unison 
with  the  third,  as  this  latter  is  too  weak  alone;  the  following 
part  may  therefore  be  assigned  to  them  instead  of  the  rest : 


^    V 


Ö: 


^ 


In  conjunction  with  the  possibly  doubled  clarinets,  the 
theme  acquires  the  true  meaning  which  attaches  to  it. 

Page  46,  bar  15.  The  ^flat  of  the  first  violins  which 
is  already  preceded  by  a  decrescendo^  must  be  played  the 
softest  pianissimo,  then  this  must  be  interrupted  abruptly 
by  the  entry  of  the  bassos,  booming  on  the  same  note:  it 
is  an  angel's  voice  dying  away  in  the  air,  answered  by  a 
chorus  of  demons  from  the  abyss. 


44  THIRD  SYMPHONY. 

Page  46,  bar  18  and  following.  Never  has  a  fearful 
catastrophe  been  represented  by  such  simple  means  as  we 
have  here.  The  immense  excitement  which  is  expressed  by 
the  triplets  of  the  quartett  in  contrast  to  the  fanfares  of  the 
brass-wind  which  remind  us  of  the  trumpets  of  the  judge- 
ment-day, justify  us  here*,  in  my  opinion,  in  introducing  a 
somewhat  more  animated  time.  Played  in  pure  adagio^ 
these  triplets  run  some  risk  of  producing  a  noisy,  rather  than 
a  powerful  effect.  But  here  as  elsewhere  it  is  only  a  question 
of  a  swaying  of  sensation,  not  of  a  complete  change  of  tinae. 

Page  47,  bars  5  and  6.  This  colossal  chord  of  the  dimi- 
nished seventh  should  be  played  by  a  doubled  wood-wind. 
From  the  second  quaver  of  the  7*^  bar,  the  flute  and  after- 
wards the  rest  of  the  wood-wind  all  play  single  again.  The 
lower  F  in  second  trumpet  and  second  horn  would  only 
muffle  the  incisive  effect,  instead  of  increasing  it,  so  it  is 
better  to  leave  the  higher  note  alone. 

Page  48,  bars  2 — 7.  In  this  passage  I  always  let  the 
first  oboe  and  first  clarinet  play  doubled  if  I  had  the  neces- 
sary instruments  at  my  disposal;  by  this  means  I  obtained 
a  very  beautiful  penetrating  sound  of  the  melody  in  the 
midst  of  the  rest  of  the  orchestra  which  surges  around  it. 
I  held  fast  to  the  somewhat  animated  tempo,  as  this  seemed 
justified  by  the  mysterious  vibrations  of  the  accompaniment, 
and  gave  the  graduated  crescendo  in  the  last  bar  of  this 
page  which  occurs  in*the  melody  also,  with  passionate  ex- 
pression, as  in  the  previous,  similar  passage  (page  37,  bar  7); 
even  here  I  made  no  decrease  in  the  speed  but  maintained 
the  sort  of  after-quiver  which  follows  the  intense  excitement, 
until  the  entry  of  a  more  restful  expression  somewhere 
about  the  6^^  bar  of  page  59,  gave  an  opportunity  of  making 
the  restfulness  even  more  apparent  by  gradually  bringing 
back  the  speed  to  the  normal  time.  The  actual  first  time 
was  reached  by  the  7*  bar  of  page  7,  when  the  echo  of  the 
previous  emotion  seems  completely  to  have  died  away. 


THIRD  SYMPHONY.  45 

Page  48,  bars  6 — 8,  and  page  50,  bars  1—3.  The  se- 
cond horn  takes  the  lower  F. 

Page  50,  bar  5.  Only  the  most  unpoetic  souls  could 
consider  that  the  pedal-note  on  C  in  the  horns,  which  falls 
together  with  the  B  of  the  wood-wind  and  the  second  violin, 
could*  be  due  to  a  mistake.  It  is  amply  explained  by  the 
contrary  motion: 


|A  ^  Jj  I  J. 
^    r  t    { 


Page  50,  bar  6  to  page  51,  bar  i.  See  page  39,  bars 
10—13. 

Page  51,  bars  2  and  3.  A  reinforcement  of  the  second 
bassoon  would  not  be  out  of  place  here  also  (see  page  39, 
bars  14  and  15)  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  both  violoncellos 
and  bassos  play  the  F  and  /^ sharp.  The  sound  of  the 
wind-chords  stands  out  quite  independently  of  the  string, 
and  if  the  bass  is  too  weak  here,  the  effect  will  not  be  good. 


Page  60.  The  Trio  should  be  fresh  and  energetic  without 
any  change  in  the  tempo. 

Page  62,  bar  18.  For  purely  practical  reasons  I  belie- 
ved I  was  justified  here  in  letting  the  second  horn  make 
its  entry  thus: 


I 


i     i  -   instead   of:  /Jk      i      J       j 


as  I  had  learned  by  experience  that  the  chiming  in  of  the 
horns  is  rendered  more  precise  by  this  means,  whereas  on 
the  other  hand  the  unison  of  the  second  horn  with  the 
string-quartett  is  of  very  little  practical  importance.  However 
I  do  not  wish  to  induce  any  one  to  make  this  change  unless 
he  can  do  it  with  a  good  conscience. 


46  THIRD  SYMPHONY. 

Page  63,  bars  22—24.  Some  editions  bind  these  three 
horn-chords  also  with  a  CZ^,  which  is  wrong.  Each  chord 
must  enter  afresh. 

Page  67,  bar  14  to  page  68,  bar  i.  We  find  here  rests 
prescribed  for  the  third  horn,  whereas  in  the  exactly  similar 
passage  before  the  Trio  (page  57,  bars  20  and  following) 
this  itfetrument  has  to  be  played.  The  second  bar  of  page  69 
differs  in  the  first  note  from  the  corresponding  bar  of  the 
first  passage.  These  are  probably  mistakes,  as  it  is  difficult 
to  discover  any  reason  for  the  change.  I  think  the  part  of 
the  third  horn  may  be  inserted  here  from  the  first  of  the 
two  passages. 


Page  71.  The  extraordinarily  quick  time  J  =  76  seems 
to  me  very  suitable  for  the  introductory  bars  which  have 
the  character  of  a  stormy,  joyful  Intrata.  After  the  fermatd 
however  I  strongly  advise  a  moderation  of  the  time.  I  adopt 
I  =  1 1 6  or  thereabouts  as  metronome  mark  for  the  beginning 
of  the  theme,  bar  12,  and  this  can  then  be  increased  until 
J=  132  is  reached. 

Page  72,  bars  8  and  16.  ThQ  fermatas  are  not  cut  off. 
The  melodic  meaning  of  this  passage  is  as  follows: 


£ 


and  so  the  ^flat  of  the  strings  must  follow  immediately  on 
the  B  of  the  wind. 

Page  73,  bar  4.  Some  editions  place  the  fermata  over 
the  ^flat  instead  of  over  the  D\  this  is  wrong. 

Page  74,  bars  3 — 6.  The  first  oboe  must  be  more  pro- 
minent than  the  first  clarinet  and  the  first  bassoon,  which 
accompany  it  with  the  same  rhythmic  movement.  The  horns 
blow  poco  marcato  so  that  their  parts  can  be  felt  to  be 
thematic. 


THIRD  SYMPHONY.  47 

Page  75,  bar  6  and  bar  14.  It  seems  to  me  advisable  to 
make  the  first  fermata  short,  in  consideration  of  the  breath 
of  the  first  oboe-player,  then  the  second  one  longer  and 
very  energetic;  neither  of  course  can  be  cut  off. 

Page  76,  bars  i  and  following.  I  would  warn  here  spe- 
cially against  hurrying,  which  is  a  great  danger  here  even 
for  the  best  orchestras.  The  fine  structure  of  the  Fugato 
which  follows  is  rendered  obscure  if  the  time  is  too   quick. 

Page  78,  bars  11  and  following.  The  splendid  entries 
of  the  wood-wind  might  produce  even  more  effect  if  the 
wood  be  doubled.  Then  from  the  3'^'^  bar  of  page  79, 
everything  should  be  single  again. 

Page  79,  last  bar  to  page  80,  bar  7.  The  flute-solo, 
which  must  be  played  with  a  very  slight  staccato  but  on  no 
account  too  quickly,  should  be  accompanied  by  the  string- 
quartett  in  softest  pianissimo  in  order  to  avoid  its  becoming 
an  etude. 

Page  80,  bar  7.  A  crescendo  in  the  string-quartett  is  not 
prescribed  it  is  true,  but  it  seems  to  me  not  only  justified 
but  demanded  by  the  expression. 

Page  81,  bar  i  to  page  83,  last  bar.  Wood-wind  may 
play  this  whole  passage  doubled. 

Page  81,  bars  5  and  following.  I  have  heard  this  splendid 
passage,  which  calls  to  mind  the  Hungarian  melodies,  played 
both  too  quickly  and  too  slowly.  In  either  case  the  effect 
was  spoiled.  It  is  most  effectual  when  played  in  strict 
normal-time. 

Page  84.  It  seems  to  me  advisable  to  introduce  a  some- 
what more  restful  time  at  the  entry  of  the  ^'major  (bar  3) 
by  means  of  a  slight  ritenuto  in  the  first  two  bars  of  this 
page  (the  G  of  the  horns).  It  is  also  better  for  the  followinig 
Fugato,  which  is  essentially  more  complicated  than  the  one 
beginning  on  page  76,  not  to  be  played  too  fast  (J=  126 
at  the  most). 

Page  84,   bars   11 — 21.     Here  the   melody  passes  from 


48 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


the   second   violins   to    the   violas,  and   from  these  to  the 
bassos.     I  have  therefore  graduated  as  follows: 


2nd   Violins 


Violas 


Violoncellos 
and  Bassos 


^^^^L^=Mj\^ '  ^^Uj] 


PFr^ 


S 


EE 


pp  senza  cresc. 
poco  marcato. 


^^^ 


W^=^^^?^^ 


^^ 


S^ 


j=^:^jN^.  j^ 


pp  senza  cresc. 


espr. 


♦)  It  is  better  to  omit  the  -<:  >—  prescribed  here  by  Beethoven,  for 
the  sake  of  the  bass-part. 

Page  85,  bar  13  to  page  86,  bar  1.  The  flutes  may 
play  these  five  bars  /  and  with  only  a  moderate  rendering 
of  the  sf^  but  they  must  be  played  with  the  utmost  clearness 
and  pregnancy  in  the  rhythm.  If  four  flute-players  are  to  be 
had,  they  might  all  play  this  passage  in  unison.  This  pro- 
duces a  better  effect. 

Page  86,  bars  8 — 12.  In  this  movement  I  should  recom- 
mend that  six  horns  be  employed  if  the  quartett  is  strong, 
or  at  any  rate  four,  as  every  orchestra  possesses  this  number. 
We  shall  speak  later   of  the   employment  of  six  horns  in 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


49 


certain  cases.  In  this  passage,  which  has  to  be  distinctly 
prominent,  the  first  horn  might  play  with  the  third  and  the 
second  with  the  fourth,  then  the  theme  becomes  quite  strong 
and  distinct  without  the  -sound  being  forced.  But  on  no 
account  must  all  six  horns  be  used  here. 

Pa'ge  87,  bar  3.  I  believe  I  may  take  the  responsibility 
of  letting  the  flutes  make  their  entry  here  and  play  this 
bar  and  the  two  next  ones  as  follows: 

ä  2, -^ 

:t       ^      E 


T^- 


ff 


Besides  this,  all  the  wood-wind  should  be  doubled  from  here 
to  the  entry  of  the  poco  andante^  page  88.  The  trumpets  in 
the  5^*^  bar  of  page  87,  in  accordance  with  the  theme,  play 


instead  of 


Page  88.  The  Poco  Andante  should  not  be  taken  as 
an  Adagio,  it  is  true;  but  the  metronome  mark  h  =  108 
gives  such  an  impossible  Allegretto-tempo  here  that  1  have 
adopted  ^  =  84  or  thereabouts. 

In  very  skilled  performances  I  have  sometimes  adopted 
the  following  gradation  in  order  to  animate  the  execution: 

ist  ci.         <^^       #. 


Page  89,  bars  4  and  5 


Page  89,  bars  6  and  7: 


Page  89,  bars  12 — 15: 

ist  Viola  and  ist  Ob. 


V  ^*     _^_^— —    V  cresc. 


Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies. 


50 


THIRD  SYMPHONY. 


Page  90,  bars  3 — 6 

ist  Ob.  and  ist  CI, 


From  the  3'"'^  to  the  6^*"  bar  of  page  90  the  first  and  second 
violins,  the  violas  and  contrabasses  play  the  softest  pianissijno^ 
whereas  the  violoncellos  and  the  second  clarinet  need  not 
muffle  their  triplets  too  much.  The  horns  however  in  bars 
3  and  5  should  play  the  semi-quavers  as  lightly  and  tenderly 
as  possible,  otherwise  they  are  too  much  in  evidence.  In 
the  7***  bar  a  poco  crescendo  might  be  added  in  the  quartett 
also,  and  this  is  followed  by  the  p  prescribed  in  the  follow- 
ing bar.  Then  in  the  9'^  bar  the  first  and  second  violins 
make  a  strong  crescendo  from  /  to  ff.  From  this  point  a 
reinforcement  of  the  melody  is  absolutely  essential,  but  it 
would  be  barbarous  to  allow  the  trombones,  for  example, 
to  blow  in  unison.  The  instrumental  colouring  of  the  Tann- 
häuser-Overture  is  not  suitable  for  the  Eroica.  No  objection 
however  can  be  raised  to  increasing  the  numbers  in  the  first 
horn-part,  as  this  would  merely  be  a  change  in  quantity 
and  not  in  quality.  If  six  horn-players  can  be  had,  the  first 
horn-part  can  be  strengthened  by  the  three  other  horns 
playing  in  unison  with  it.  If  however  only  four  hornplayers 
are  available,  I  should  advise  that  three  play  the  melody  up 
to  the  first  bar  of  page  92,  and  that  the  fourth  play  the 
part  of  the  second  horn.  The  third  horn  almost  always 
plays  in  unison  with  the  second  trumpet,  and  in  the  two 
bars  where  this  is  not  the  case  throughout,  it  is  better  to 
dispense  with  these  few  filling-up  sounds  than  to  lose  the 
brilliant  splendou  of  the  theme,  which  is  rendered  clearer 
and  more  perceptible  by  this  playing  in  unison  of  several 
horns.  From  the  last  quaver  of  the  9*^  bar  on  page  90,  to 
the  first  bar  on  page  91    (the  first  quaver),  the  wood-wind 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


51 


will  of  course,  if  possible,  play  doubled.  The  whole  passage 
then^  if  executed  in  this  manner  at  a  somewhat  broader  tempo, 
produces  an  absolutely  sublime  effect. 

Page  93,  bars  8 — 12.  I  formerly  felt  an  obligation  to 
fill. out  the  rests  in  the  horns  and  trumpets  harmonically. 
Afterwards  however  I  gave  this  up,  and  now  I  warn  against 
the  proceeding.  The  entry  of  these  instruments  in  the 
10^^  bar  is  much  too  characteristic  to  justify  us  in  weakening 
it  by  allowing  them  to  blow  continuously.  The  wood-wind 
however  might  play  doubled  in  these  bars. 

Page  94.  The  metronome  mark  j^  =  1 1 6  for  the  Presto 
is  evidently  a  mistake  as  it  produces  an  Allegretto  instead 
of  a  Presto.  I  have  adopted  J  =  108.  The  wood-wind,  and 
also  the  horns,  if  six  are  obtainable,  can  enter  doubled 
here,  and  the  magnificent  piece  ends  in  one  glorious  shout 
of  joy. 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 

In  the  fourth  symphony  there  are  fewer  points  which  call 
for  our  attention  even  than  in  the  second.  A  fresh  and 
spirited  performance  of  this  piece  will  hardlv  allow  a  single 
doubt  to  arise. 

Page  3.  Instead  of  the  very  quick  metronome  mark  J=66, 
I  have  adopted  about  1=58.  The  transition  to  alleg7'o 
(page  5)  produces  the  most  natural  effect  if  the  half  bars  are 
played  just  double  as  fast  as  the  crotchets  in  the  introduction. 
The  corresponding  metronome  mark  for  the  allegro  is  _i=  1 26. 
The  prescribed  mark  ^  =  80  gives  an  absolutely  impossible 
speed. 

Page  6,  bar  9.  In  this  and  other  similar  cases  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  the  ff  in  the  violins  begins  en  the  upbeat, 
and  not  on  the  first  crotchet  which  follows  it.  (See  also 
page  17,  bar  15  and  page  18,  bar  5.) 

4* 


52 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  8,  bar  14.     It  is  tempting  here  to  fill  out  the  rests 
in  horns  and  trumpets.     As  however  only  the  key-note 


(sounding  A) 


would  answer  this  purpose,  and  this,  in  relation  to  the  bassos, 
would  give  unseemly  part- writing, 


S 


or  the  third, 


(sounding  (7  sharp) 


which  creates  the  same  difficulty  with  reference  to  the  treble, 


and  moreover,  as  Beethoven  has  avoided  the  fifth  in  the  har- 
mony of  this  bar  throughout,  and  we  therefore  are  not  justi- 
fied in  adding  it,  it  is  certainly  better  not  to  alter  this  pas- 
sage at  all.  I  only  mention  this  in  order  to  point  out  once 
again  that  the  most  mature  consideration  and  the  utmost 
prudence  are  necessary  where  any  alteration  is  undertaken. 
I  mentioned  in  the  Introduction  that  in  several  passages  where 
I  at  first  thought  an  alteration  to  be  inevitable,  afterwards, 
on  a  careful  comparison  of*  these  passages  in  their  two  dif- 
ferent forms,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  original  form 
was  the  right  one,  and  that  any  change  was  harmful,  or  to 
say  the  least,  unnecessary. 

Page  9,  bars  13  and  following.  The  players  of  bassoon, 
oboe  and  flute  should  be  very  careful  in  this  passage  not  to 
hurry  or  bungle  the  quaver-figures;  this  not  only  spoils 
the   melody   but  often   leads  to  single  notes   being   missed. 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


53 


A  quite  imperceptible  slackening  of  the  speed  is  even  ad- 
visable, if  only  to  remind  the  players  that  they  are  on  no 
account  to  hasten  it. 

Page  12,  last  bar  but  one.  The  F  (crotchet-note)  in  the 
violoncellos  and  bassos  is  evidently  a  mistake.  (See  also  the 
similar  passage  p.  28,  where  the  corresponding  note  is  want- 
ing). It  should  be  omitted,  as,  at  most,  it  causes  the  im- 
pression of  an  entering  at  the  wrong  place. 

Page  13.  The  Pi~~'|  is  so  important  that  it  should  not 
be  omitted  on  any  account.  The  first  two  bars,  which  follow 
so  naturally  and  so  consistently  on  the  preceding  one,  and 
the  following  passage  which  recalls  the  transition  from  the 
Introduction  to  the  Allegro  most  certainly  belong  to  the 
structure  of  this  movement. 

Page  14,  last  bar.  The  up-beat  in  the  first  violins  is  of 
course  piano  already. 

Page  16,  bar  5  to  page  17,  bar  7.  For  the  first  violins 
and  the  violoncello,  I  adopt  the  following  phrasing: 


and  exactly  the  same  for  the  analogous  passage  in  flute, 
clarinet  and  bassoon.  In  the  15^*"  and  16'^  bars  I  have  added 
a  poco  crescendo^  which  is  followed  by  a  /  in  bar  17. 


I 


poco  cresc.  " 

The  following  clarinet-solo  is  then  phrased  just  in  the 
same  way  as  the  two  preceding  similar  passages;  then  the 
crescendo  which  begins  in  the  4'^  bar  of  page  1 7  is  brought 
by  a  strong  gradation  up  to  ff  The  grace-notes  in  bars  7 
and  II  of  page  10  are  short.     The  mode  of  execution, 


54 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


I 


fc^Efefc 


which  I  have  often  heard,  is  wrong.  The  grace-note  would 
have  to  be  noted  as  a  crotchet  for  this  to  be  correct. 

Pages  19  and  20.  The  abatement  of  the  musical  ex- 
pression here  will  probably  bring  with  it  an  abatement  of 
the  time.  I  should  advise  however  that  this  abatement 
should  not  be  exaggerated  enough  to  produce  a  strong 
ritennto^  .as  this  would  destroy  the  peculiarly  expectant 
character  of  this  passage.  The  climax  of  the  weakened  mo- 
vement seems  to  me  to  be  reached  in  the  9^^,  10*  and  11*^ 
bars  of  page  20.  At  the  entry  of  the  6/4  chord  of  the  main 
key  (bar  12),  however,  either  the  principal  tempo  must  be- 
gin again  immediately,  or  else  the  eight  bars  which  follow 
(12 — 19)  must  be  used  to  lead  back  to  it  imperceptibly.  The 
almost  imperceptible  motion  of  the  expressive  and,  at  the 
same  time,  natural  execution  of  music,  is  so  fine,  that  in 
many  cases  words  can  only  serve  as  attempts  to  transmit 
one's  own  appreciation  to  the  soul  of  another,  and  if  fruit  is 
to  be  borne,  something  higher  than  mechanical  imitation 
must  be  produced. 

A  good  effect  is  produced  if  a  certain  transitional  chd- 
racter  is  given  to  the  small  flute-solo  (page  20,  bars  10 — 12) 
by  means  of  a  quite  slight  crescendo  up  to  the  second  D  flat; 
then  the  i>flat  may  be  slurred  to  the  following  D^  just  as 
the  6^  flat  in  the  bassos  is  slurred  to  the  F\ 


Flute 


Violoncell. 
and  Basso 


b"  -  It  '^ 


i^^^^^ 


w 


^^ 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


55 


The  mark  >  does  not  designate  a  breath-pause  in  the 
sense  of  a  delay,  of  course,  but  simply  a  slight  break  for 
the  elucidation  of  the  phrase.  If  the  second  D  flat  can  be 
imagined  written 


I 


it  will  easily  be  understood  what  is  meant. 

Page  21.  The  crescendo  should  on  no  account  be  in- 
troduced before  it  is  prescribed  (bar  12),  and  even  then  it 
should  be  very  gradually  executed.  There  is  always  a  ten- 
dency for  the  strings  to  begin  the  crescendo  eight  bars  too  soon. 

Page  22.  I  cannot  help  feeling  that  the  climax  of  the 
preceding  gradation  does  not  occur  in  the  4^*"  bar,  where 
Beethoven  writes  ff  for  all  instruments,  but  in  the  8*^,  where 
the  main  theme  makes  its  entry.  I  have  therefore  taken  the 
liberty  which  I  am  about  to  explain.  The  strings  reach  the 
full  ff  in  bar  4  as  prescribed.  The  kettle-drum  does  not 
play  with  full  force  yet  but  continues  the  crescendo  begun 
on  the  previous  page  over  this  bar  to  the  8^*^  bar,  in  which 
ff  is  finally  reached.  All  the  wind-instruments  begin  piano 
and  make  a  strong  crescendo  lasting  for  4  bars ;  then  ff  may 
be  marked  for  them  also  in  bar  8.  In  this  way,  Beethoven's 
intention  to  have  an  ff  in  bar  4  is  carried  out  by  the  string- 
ed instruments,  but  at  the  same  time  a  gradation  of  sound 
up  to  the  entry  of  the  principal  theme  is  obtained. 

Page  23,  the   last  two  bars,  and  page  24,  bars  i  and  2. 

Nothing  should  be  altered  here,  and  it  should  be  noticed 
how  characteristically  the  second  horn  progresses  here  for 
the  simple  reason  that  the  natural  notes  are  wanting. 

Page  24,  bars  19  and  following,  see  page  9,  bars  13  and 
following. 

Page  25,  bars  9 — 12.  The  melodic  phrase  here  differs 
from    the    similar    passage    on    page  10    (bars  i — 4)   in    the 


56 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY 


changed  position  of  the  grace-note,  and  the  tones  instead  of 
semi-tones  in  the  3'''^  bar.  It  would  be  wrong  to  attempt  to 
m.ake  these  two  passages  similar  as  evidently  Beethoven  had 
his  reasons  for  making  them  differ. 

Page  25,  bar  20.  The  Bi  is  surprising  here  as  the  ear 
expects  a  B,  to  correspond  to  the  F  of  the  previous  pas- 
sage (page  10^  bar  12).  A  possible  explanation,  though  not 
an  altogether  satisfactory  one  I  admit,  of  this  curious  and 
apparently  capricious  divergence  from  the  previous  passage, 
may  lie  in  the  fact  that  the  following  B?  major  produces  a 
fresher  effect  as  principal  key  for  the  whole  piece,  if  the 
tonic  is  avoided  as  far  as  possible  beforehand.  In  the  first 
passage  we  are  not  concerned  with  the  entry  of  the  principal- 
key,  but  the  supertonic,  and  the  F  perhaps  gives  a 
firmer  sound  for  the  approaching  conclusion  of  the  first  part, 
than  a  much  weaker  F  sharp.  However  this  may  be,  it  was 
evidently  Beethoven's  firm  intention  to  write  what  he  has 
written,  as  it  is  quite  out  of  the  question  to  imagine  that  he 
wrote  ^  before  the  B  in  all  the  parts  in  the  second  passage 
accidentally,  and  perhaps,  also  by  accident,  omitted  the  ^ 
before  the  F  in  all  the  parts  in  the  first  passage.  An  at- 
tempt to  make  the  two  passages  identical  is  therefore  not 
to  be  thought  of. 


Page  31.  I  found  here  the  metronome  mark  '  =  84.  This 
is  of  course  a  misprint;  it  must  mean  J*^  —  84.  But  this  mark 
also  is  too  quick,  so  I  should  recommend  J"  —  72  or  thereabouts. 

Page  32,  bar  2.  The  introduction  o{  piano  after  a  demi- 
semi-quaver  up-beat  which  has  to  be  played  forte  is  very 
difficult.  And  yet  the  up-beat  must  not  be  played  piano 
nor  must  the  two  bars  be  separated  by  an  breath-pause.  The 
mode  of  execution  intended  can  only  be  obtained  by  re- 
peated practice  of  the  passage. 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


57 


Page  36,  bars  i — 2.  In  order  to  obtain  a  perfect  piaiio 
effect  the  first  horn  will  suffice  here  alone;  the  second  may 
then  come  in  with  the  low  G  in  bar  3. 

Page  39,  bar  4.  In  this  bar  I  think  a  crescendo  beginning 
at  the  second  crotchet  is  needed;  this  crescendo  reaches  its 
climax  on  the  D  of  the  next  bar  for  the  first  violins,  on  the 
(Tfiat  for  the  second  violins,  and  on  the  F  for  the  violas 
and  violoncellos.  Then  by  means  of  the  ::=—  which  follows, 
it  is  weakened  down  to  the  gentlest  //  and  the  wonderful 
entry  of  the  bassoon  is  seen  thereby  in  its  true  light. 

Page  44,  bar  2.  The  complete  edition  has  a  troublesome 
misprint  here.    The  second  quaver-beat  in  the  violas  is  written 

instead  of  |;^^ 


Page  49.  The  extreme  limit  of  speed  for  the  Trio  seems 
to  me  to  be  about  J  —  76 ;  the  time  prescribed,  J  —  88,  would 
cause  an  over-hastening  of  this  graceful  piece.  It  should  be 
noticed  also  that  !  =  100  for  the  main  section  does  not 
denote  a  very  quick  time.  It  is  a  great  mistake,  and  unfor- 
tunately a  very  common  one,  to  play  all  Beethoven's  Scherzos 
quasi  Presto. 

Page  50,  bars  16 — 25.  Here  too  I  think  it  is  better  for 
the  first  horn  to  play  alone.  The  same  holds  good,  of 
course,  for  the  repetition  of  the  Trio,  pages  57  and  58. 

Page  51,  bars  9  and  following.  I  should  recommend  here 
that  at  first  the  horns  alone  give  the  crescendo  poco  a  poco^ 
whilst  the  strings  remain  //.  The  stringed  instruments  can 
then  begin  their  crescendo  in  the  last  bar  but  one  of  this 
page  and  increase  in  strength  continually  up  to  the  ff  in  the 
4'^  bar  of  page  52.  The  same  for  the  similar  passage  on 
pages  58  and  59. 


58 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  62.  The  Finale  is  marked  allegro,  ma  non  troppo. 
The  humour  of  this  delightful  piece  is  quite  destroyed  how- 
ever if  the  "wß  7ion  troppo'''  is  not  observed,  and  the  move- 
ment is  played  like  the  Presto  of  one  of  Haydn's  final 
Symphony-movements.  It  must  not  only  be  begun  with  a 
comparatively  quiet  time,  but  this  time  must  be  maintained 
throughout,  so  that  the  piquant  play  of  the  semi-quavers 
does  not  degenerate  into  a  study,  nor  the  pleasing  melody 
of  the  secondary  theme  into  a  mere  commonplace  phrase. 
The  great  charm  of  this  movement  lies  just  in  the  contrast 
between  the  moderate  time  and  the  animated  figuration.  It 
gives  an  impression  of  speed  without  really  being  played 
quickly.     The   metronome   mark  J 


80  does   not   agree  in 


the   least  with    the   time-signature. 


I  should    think 


126 


would  be  about  right. 

Page  64,  bars  10 — 17.     I  recommend  that  this  passage  be 
ohrased  as  follows: 


Violins 


FOURTH  SYMPHONY.  59 

Page  67.  The  first  part  should  be  repeated.  If  this  is 
not  done  the  whole  piece  is  indecorously  short. 

Page  73,  bars  6 — 9.  This  is  an  extremely  difficult  passage 
for  the  first  bassoon;  indeed  it  becomes  impossible  if  either 
the  .orchestra,  or  the  conductor,  or  both,  have  allowed  them- 
selves to  become  hurried.  The  four  preceding,  twice  repeated 
sforzato-h2:cs^  and  the  short,  cutting  strokes  of  the  broken 
minor-ninth  chords  immediately  before  these,  offer  the  best 
opportunity  of  keeping  to  the  original  moderate  time,  and 
even  of  holding  it  back  if  it  has  become  quicker  at  any 
previous  moment;  thus  the  bassoonist  can  play  his  solo  at  a 
relatively  moderate  speed. 

Page  75,  bars  6—13.    See  page  64,  bars  10 — 17. 

Page  79,  bar  10  to  page. 80,  bar  2.  This  passage  also 
should  on  no  account  be  hurried,  otherwise  both  its  lucidity 
and  its  grace  are  lost. 

Page  80,  bar  13.  I  should  like  to  mark  this  bar  fff.  The 
ff  which  governs  the  whole  preceding  passage  would  thus 
be  still  more  increased  and  would  reach  its  climax,  which 
lasts  4  bars,  in  this  bar 

Page  80,  last  bar.  The  fermata  must  be  held  on  for  a 
considerable  time,  then  taken  off.  The  bassos  begin  their 
busy  whispering  at  the  comfortable  principal  time  and  this 
is  maintained  throughout. 

Page  82,  bars  11  — 15.  This  passage  is  formed  by  the 
notes  of  the  theme.  The  fermata  must  therefore  not  be 
taken  off  but  the  following  notes  must  be  played  imme- 
diately. The  pauses  themselves  however  seem  to*  me  to 
work  backwards  to  a  certain  extent,  so  that  I  think  I  am 
justified  in  placing  a  '-^poco  andante^^  at  the  beginning  of 
this  passage,  and  in  not  letting  the  principal  theme  make 
its  entry  until  the  semi-quaver  scale  of  the  bassi,  after  the 
last  fermata^  which  must  also  not  be  taken  off. 


6o 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY 


FIFTH  SYMPHOXY. 

In  my  work  "On  the  Art  of  Conducting"  (Ueber  das  Di- 
rigieren) I  have  already  expressed  niy  views  clearly  as  to 
the  folly  of  beginning  this  movement  slowly  and  not  allowing 
the  quick  time  to  make  its  entry  until  after  the  second 
pause.  I  will  therefore  waste  no  words  on  it  here,  and  I 
hope  that  this  piece  of  barbarism  will  soon  completely  dis- 
appear, together  with  other  such  practices  which  ignorant 
conductors  have  adopted  in  regard  of  Beethoven. 

This  beginning  however  has  given  rise  in  other  respects 
to  various  considerations  and  explanations.  It  is  particularly 
the  apparently  irregular  bar  interpolated  just  before  the 
second  fcrrnata  which  has  given  rise  to  discussion.  The 
riddle  can  be  solved  however  in  a  very  simple  way,  if  every 
two  bars  be  taken  as  one,  whereby  the  following  scheme 
is  obtained: 


This  explanation,  which,  as  far  as  I  know,  no  one  has 
ever  given  in  the  same  way  before,  holds  good  for  all  the 
/^r;;2^/^-passages  in  this  movement  where  the  above-mention- 
ed interpolated  bar  is  to  be  found.  Wagner  has  already 
pointed  out  that  the  pauses  should  be  held  on  long  and 
emphatically,  and  we  can  see  from  the  text,  and  also  from 
the  rythmic  feeling  if  my  interpretation  is  followed,  that  the 
second  must  always  be  held  down  somewhat  longer  than 
the  first. 

Attempts  have  also  however  been  made  to  improve  on 
this  passage  instrumentally.  It  has  been  proposed  to  let  the 
horns  join  in.   But  what  possible  reason  could  Beethoven  have 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY.  6  I 

had  for  not  using  these  instruments  if  he  had  wished  to, 
seeing  that  out  of  the  four  notes  of  the  theme,  three  stood 
at  his  disposal  as  open  natural  notes  on  the  ^flat  horns, 
and  the  fourth  [B  on  the  i:flat  horn)  was  at  any  rate  a 
pos'sible  stopped  note?  At  any  rate  he  would  have  made 
use  of  the  horns  for  the  first  two  bars  if  he  had  needed 
them.  Moreover,  this  is  the  very  symphony  in  which  he 
uses  the  greatest  number  of  stopped  notes,  see  pages  9,  11, 
38,  61  and  67.  The  explanation  that  the  clarinets  are  only 
\ised  here  in  default  of  horns  does  not  seem  to  me  there- 
fore valid.  I  believe,  on  the  contrary  that  he  purposely 
reserved  the  horns  for  the  later  and  more  emphatic  entries 
of  the  theme.  Wliy  this  eagerness  then  to  improve?  Ihe 
theme  is  quite  di.stinct,  even  in  a  poorly  furnished  quartett, 
if  it  is  played  strongly  and  accurately  at  the  same  time. 
I  should  recommend  ^  -  loo  as  metronome  mark  instead 
of  ^  -  108  which  is  really  too  quick.  Two  strong  beats  of 
the  conductor,  one  for  the  first  bar  (quasi  first  half)  and  one 
for  the  fennata  (quasi  second  half)  will  ensure  a  good  result. 
Tlie  beat  for  the  third  bar  denotes  at  the  same  time  the 
removal  of  the  ferniata.  Only  the  prescribed  quaver-pause 
should  be  perceptible,  and  no  more.  Billows  practice  of 
giving  one  or  several  bars  beforehand  is  quite  unnecessary. 
Throughout  the  \\'hole  movement,  care  should  be  taken 
that  the  thematic  (|uavcr-notes,  which  are  repeated  in  forte 
and  piano^  should  all  be  played  with  precisely  the  same  de- 
gree of  strength.  Nothing  is  more  dangerous  than  the 
following  mode  of  execution, 


*T  .sf  ittf  sf       tnf  sf 

which  however  comes  only  too  readily  if  the  time  be  taken 
too  quic];ly,  or  the  players  be  not  kept  strictly  to  an  articulate 


62 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


production  of  each  note  both  in  forte  and  piano.  Only 
accents  are  heard  then  —  no  melody  —  and  this  powerful 
piece  is  changed  from  a  Titanic  battle  to  a  hunting-scene. 
It  goes  without  saying  that  a  strict  rhythmic  similarity  of  these 
quaver-notes  is  also  an  absolute  necessity.  But  it  is  just 
in  this  point  that  so  many  people  sin.  I  have  only  too 
often  heard  the  passage  following  the  second  fermata  given 
something  in  this  manner: 


I 


t 


EE 


•-•-•^ 


ilÖ^ 


=P=P=F= 


&c. 


8f 


sf: 


until  my  insistence  on  rhythmic  and  dynamic  similarity  of  the 
notes  gave  the  true  value  to  the  essential  part  of  the  melody, 
which  every  true  musician  will  undoubtedly  recognise  to  be 
the  following  passage: 


It  is  just  the  recognition  of  the  expression  of  this,  I 
might  almost  say,  latent  melody,  which  is  the  surest  guaran- 
tee against  the  over-hurrying  —  accompanied  by  most  of 
the  evils  which  I  have  just  mentioned  and  deprecated  — 
which  is  so  fearfully  detrimental  to  this  magnificent  piece. 

Page  5,  the  two  last  bars,  and  page  6,  the  two  first  bars. 
This  passage  is  generally  given  with  the  following,  absolutely 
wrong,  phrasing: 


t 


EE 


m 


sf 


sf 


i==t= 


sf 


In  the  first  place  let  us  examine  the  ligature.  The  first 
three  bars  are  bound  together  and  must  therefore  be  played 
in  the  same  breath,  as  it  were;  the  last  bar  with  its  short 
ligature  has  a  final  character  which  would  be  destroyed  by 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


63 


an  accent.  Then  the  rhythmical  values  of  the  individual  bars 
should  be  noticed.  If  the  two  bars  are  considered  as  be- 
longing to  each  other  and  are  treated  as  one  bar  we  get 
the  following  scheme  beginning  at  bar  8  of  page  5: 


Viol. 


Clar. 


mm 

{ff)\ 


(Hrn.)  sf  sf 


i^B-»-p- 


^M^^f^sd 


ff 


In  this  way  the  first  bar  of  the  passage  is  treated  as  a 
kind  of  up-beat  and  the  chief  value  is  given  to  the  second 
bar.     The  suitable  phrasing  is  then  the  following: 


W=i 


sf 


::>-     P 


and  this  is  perfectly  in  keeping  with  the  ligature  over  the 
first  three  bars.  This  ligature  must  always  be  observed  in 
all  the  repetitions  of  this  theme.  Naturally  the  object  here 
is  not  to  force  each  respective  second  bar  into  prominence, 
but  simply  to  produce  a  gently  increasing  emphasis  which 
wäll  not  endanger  the  //««^-character  of  the  whole  passage. 
Indeed  a  right  phrasing  of  the  passage  will  probably  be 
attained  if  the  players  are  made  conscious  of  the  rythmic  value 
of  the  single  bars,  so  that  they  play  the  first  as  up-beat  and 
give  the  main  importance  to  the  second,  and  carefully  avoid 
the  tempting  accent  which  so  easily  comes  in  on  the  4^^  bar. 
If  the  passage  is  played  in  the  manner  I  have  described, 
a  phrase  complete  in  itself  is  obtained,  instead  of  four  inde- 
pendent bars,  which  was  surely  not  the  composer's  artistic 
conception.  Following  my  directions  one  gets,  from  the 
11'^  bar  of  page  6  onwards,  several  further  accents  which 
of  course  are  also  only  intended  to  be  understood  in  the 
sense  of  rhythmic  emphasis. 


64 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


Up-beats 


I 


^mm 


sf 


U 


It  should  be  noticed  how  the  position  of  the  Hgature 
crystaUizes  the  four-bar-phrase  out  of  an  apparent  displace- 
ment of  the  rhythm,  and  this  phrase  attains  its  full  sway  in 
the  2"^  bar  of  page  7. 


ir=^^ 


■ß-  -0-       -0- 


^^ 


Such  observations  as  these  should  not  be  looked  upon 
as  trifling  details.  Their  importance  will  be  seen  later  to 
an  even  greater  extent. 

Page  8.  The  first  bar  should  be  repeated.  It  need 
hardly  be  pointed  out  that  the  re-entry  of  the  theme  both 
at  the  repetition  and  after  the  double-bar  should  be  played 
in  strict  normal  time. 

If  the  repetition-passage  is  carefully  examined  it  will  be 
found  that  the  first  two  bars  of  the  main-theme  have  a 
different  value  when  they  are  repeated  and  that  the  original 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


65 


rhythmic  conditions  are  not  re-established  till  the  following 
bars.  Thus,  if  each  respective  pair  of  bars  be  taken  to- 
gether, from  the  last  bar  but  two  before  the  double-bar  we 
get  the  following  scheme: 


fejfa-'j)^  -t-^^JTltn^iJ]!  M  ^ 


This  sho'vvs  clearly  the  variation  from  the  example  on 
page  60,  as  here  we  have  a  2  4-bar,  which  causes  difficulty 
in  the  taking  of  the  two  bars  together.  When  the  theme 
is  written  without  the  bar  before  the  fermata^  it  seems  to 
have  a  double  rhythmic  character.  This  double  character  is 
confirmed  later  beyond  a  doubt,  so  that  we  will  confine 
ourselves  here  to  stating  the  fact.  If  we  pass  from  the  last 
bar  but  two  before  the  double-bar  to  the  second  part,  we 
find  the  rhythmic  regularity  unbroken,  and  we  can  tell  from 
this  when  we  have  to  take  two  bars  together  as  one  again. 


Page  g,  bar  18  and  following.  No  crescmdo  should  be 
made  here,  however  much  one  is  tempted  to  make  it.  It 
is  just  the  uniform  piano  here  which  gives  the  passage  an 
oppressive,  uncanny  character,  which  is  quite  destroyed  if 
the  volume  of  sound  is  prematurely  increased.  The  cre^ 
scendo  must  not  come  in  before  the  3^^^  bar  of  page  10,  and 
then  it  should  be  observed  that  the  gradation  at  first  only 
reaches  a  simple /^r/^  (bar  5).  The  piu  f  is  not  reached  till 
7  bars  later  and  the  full  fortissimo  makes  its  entry  in  the 
16*^  bar  of  page  10  at  the  introduction  of  the  theme.  All 
this  is  clearly  prescribed  and  it  may  cause  surprise  that  I 
simply  repeat  what  is  already  written.    But  how  often  have 

Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  5 


66  FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 

I  seen  these  directions  absolutely  disregarded ;  in  this  passage, 
for  example,  the  crescendo  brought  in  much  too  soon,  and 
conductor  and  orchestra  bursting  into  full  force  where  only 
/  is  written,  so  that  the  following  gradation  becomes  quite 
impossible.  I  therefore  seize  this  opportunity  of  pointing 
out  that  a  strict  observance  of  the  given  directions  is  abso- 
lutely indispensible  for  expressive  execution,  indeed  it  is 
often  the  actual  cause  of  such  an  execution.  The  experi- 
ment ought  to  be  made  of  playing  this  passage  in  the  in- 
correct way  I  have  just  indicated,  and  then  in  the  precise 
way  that  Beethoven  has  prescribed,  and  then  no  doubt  will 
remain  as  to  the  importance  of  his  directions. 

It  is  unfortunately  a  very  common  habit  to  get  suddenly 
much  softer  at  the  entry  of  the  diminuendo  on  page  1 1 , 
especially  in  the  wind-instruments,  whereas  really  the  chords 
should  decrease  in  strength  very  gradually,  and  the  chord 
marked  diminuendo  should  merely  denote  an  almost  imper- 
ceptible weakening.  A  very  finely  graduated  orchestra  will 
succeed  in  effecting  a  gradual  diminution  of  sound  in  such 
a  way  that  each  wind-chord  sounds  the  least  bit  softer  than 
the  preceding  string-chord,  and  each  of  these  in  their  turn 
the  least  bit  softer  than  the  preceding  wind-chord;  thus  a 
perfectly  uniform,  progressive  diminuendo  is  obtained  until 
the  entry  of  complete  pianissimo^  which,  if  these  directions 
be  followed,  then  produces  a  wonderful  effect. 

Page  12,  bars  3  and  15.  Here  our  modern  system  of 
a  leading-motive  has  produced  a  regrettable  mistake,  which 
has  unfortunately  made  its  way  into  the  printed  orchestral 
parts  of  the  Breitkopf  edition.  As  the  theme  of  the  move- 
ment begins  with  a  quaver-pause,  it  has  been  assumed  that 
the  ff  did  not  begin  before  the  second  quaver  and  the 
passage  has  been  corrected  to  this  effect.  By  this  means 
it  was  hoped  that  the  character  of  the  theme  which  runs 
thus 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


67 


I 


H  ^  ILS  -^ 


1                    1               V    i  K                  m   M   m     " 

and  not  thus  A\9-h —    •  •  •    : 

hg>  - 

W^=i^ — ^ 

would  be  done  justice  to  in  the  execution. 

Let  us  see  first  how  the  matter  stands  with  reg-ard  to  a 

o 

possible  mistake  or  misprint  in  the  score.  Supposing  that 
in  the  first  of  the  quo'.ed  bars  the  ff  in  the  string-quartett 
has  been  wrongly  placed  too  early,  at  any  rate  in  the 
second  case  the  same  mistake  is  out  of  the  question.  Here 
the  violins  and  violas  do  not  have  to  play  the  theme  at  all 
and  yet  in  each  of  these  parts  /  stands  clearly  marked. 
Moreover  the  crotchet  note  points  to  a  distinct  intensification 
of  the  tone.  In  spite  of  all  this  the  /  here  has  actually 
been  corrected  to  /,  because  it  was  thought  that  the  "Leit- 
motiv" must  have  its  right,  even  if  Beethoven  himself  had 
to  give  way  before  it.  He  seems  to  do  so  very  unwillingly 
however,  as  the  underlined  /,  which  the  strings  play  in  a 
hesitating,  feeble  way  because  they  are  afraid  of  not  being 
able  to  do  justice  to  the  ff  immediately  following,  sounds 
so  forlorn  and  meaningless,  that  this  fact  alone  ought  to 
have  been  sufficient  reason  for  inquiry  as  to  Beethoven's 
intention.  When  we  look  at  the  passage  however  from  a 
rhythmical  point  of  view  every  doubt  vanishes  as  to  the  need- 
lessness  of  this  correction.  If  each  two  bars  respectively 
be  taken  together  as  one  throughout  the  whole  movement, 
from  the  31^'  bar  of  page  11  we  get  the  following  scheme: 


^^^'iC^^'i) 


*4 


ä 


ä 


I 


piuj) 


VP 


M  ^^ 


.tf 


g^f     ^  f  JifT-JfL^ 


^ 


^p 


«* 


wm 


68 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY, 


m 


^   ^m^y~^^m^^^^^ni 


ciTri^ipcir^^fpgrr 


W 


riMfiyi-^tfj#^ 


We  can  see  from  this  that  the  chords  degraded  to  mise- 
rable //<a:;2^-sighs  fall  on  rhythmically  important  points ,  on 
good  bars  as  it  were.  We  see  further  that  these  rhythmi- 
cally important  points  are  starting-points  for  passages  intro- 
ducing the  theme,  and  these  passages  in  their  turn  prepare 
effectually  for  the  entry  of  the  First  Subject  in  its  original 
form  (page  12,  bars  23  and  following),  and  the  repetition 
of  the  first  part.  We  see  finally  that  these  "castrated  chords" 
as  I  will  call  them  for  want  of  a  better  expression,  each 
coming  directly  after  a  softly-breathing /ü"^;«W;;/^,  represent 
simply  the  concentration  of  energy  preliminary  to  the  theme, 
that  they  must  therefere  be  played  with  the  utmost  energy 
and  not  lightly  chirped  for  the  sake  of  the  "Leitmotiv". 
Away  with  the  featureless  p  then,  and  let  both  the  chords 
be  played  with  the  power  of  the  master!  The  crotchet-note 
in  the  15^^  bar  should  be  sustained  in  such  a  way  as  to 
give  it  a  quite  special  significance,  somewhat  as  though  it 
were  written  thus 


I 


t 


instead  of  thus 


It  should  be  noticed  that  the  First  Subject  on  its  return 
possesses  exactly  the  same  rhythmical  value  as  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  movement,  if  two  bars  are  taken  together  in 
the  way  just  illustrated. 

Berlioz  in  his  "Theory  of  Instrumentation"  (see  Ed.  Breit- 
kopf&Hartel,   page    301)    remarks  what   a    curious  fault   it 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


69 


is  that  the  trumpets  so  often  seem  to  limp  behind  when 
they  have  to  come  in  after  a  pause  on  the  .first  quaver. 
This  is  especially  likely  to  be  the  case  here,  and  if  great 
precautions  are  not  taken,  the  trumpets,  according  to  an 
example  given  by  Berlioz,  will  be  heard  to  be  playing. 


tEi 


P-^ 


^ 


^ 


instead  of 


I 


i=t 


e 


Page  13,  bar  12.  The  cadence  of  the  first  oboe  only 
obtains  its  full  significance  if,  not  only  this  bar,  but  the 
whole  preceding  oboe-passage  from  the  last  bar  but  two  on 
page  12,  is  taken  as  a  solo.  This  part  then,  from  the  bar 
just  mentioned,  should  be  rather  more  in  evidence  and  the 
rest  of  the  orchestra  should  play  very  quietly.  Both  con- 
ductor and  players  should  note  carefully  that  the  crescendo 
comes  in  rather  later  here  than  in  the  similar  passage  in 
the  first  part,  and  this  is  specially  of  importance  in  order 
to  bring  into  strong  relief  the  following  bars: 


1st  Oboe 


Sl^ 


As  the  strings  should  be  still  playing  /  in  the  10'^  bar  of 
page  13,  the  crescendo  for  them  only  refers  to  the  bar  before 
the  jf.  If  greater  prominence  is  given  to  this  preceding  bar, 
in  which  it  is  true  cresc.  stands  already,  an  unmelodious 
accent  is  the  result.  The  crescendo  here  is  really  the  task 
of  the  oboe  and  the  bassoons.  The  /  on  the  C  in  trumpets 
and  kettle-drums  should  also  be  very  carefully  observed. 

The  oboe-player  must  neither  sustain  the  first  G  too 
long,  nor  play  the  beginning  of  the  cadence  too  slowly, 
otherwise  he  will  barely  have  breath  enough  to  bring  the 
phrase  to  its  conclusion  and  to  sustain  the  last  Z>  for  a  tinr  e 
at  a   beautifully   restful  /.     I  should  like   the   adagio  in  its 


70 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


strict  sense  to  refer  to  the  last  three  notes  only.  When 
the  sound  of  the  D  has  died  away  the  conductor  may  pro- 
ceed in  the  manner  of  an  up-beat,  so  as  to  give  the  oboist  an 
opportunity  of  taking  breath  again,  and  of  giving  the  same 
strength  of  sound  to  the  F  as  to  the  preceding  D,  The 
second  oboist  must  of  course  adapt  himself  absolutely  to 
the  first.  I  have  never  been  able  to  bring  in  a  full  allegro 
tempo  immediately  after  the  fermata.  The  cadence  seems 
to  me  to  have  a  kind  of  after-effect,  and  I  therefore  always 
began  in  a  somewhat  more  restful  manner,  wich  corresponds 
in  my  opinion  to  the  quiet  character  of  this  passage,  so 
strangely  different  from  the  first  part  of  the  movement.  I 
then  made  use  of  the  following  crescendo  to  lead  back  to 
the  main  time  of  the  piece  which  I  allowed  to  make  its 
entry  at  the  /. 

I  must  repeat  again  and  again  that  these  delicate  modi- 
fications of  the  time  are  really  a  question  of  the  feeling, 
and  are  not  mere  derangements  for  the  sake  of  effect.  If 
anyone  felt  justified  by  what  I  have  said  in  proceeding  in 
the  latter  manner,  it  would  be  better  if  I  had  not  spoken 
at  all.  Unless  these  gentle  deviations  give  the  impression 
of  being  merely  an  outflow  of  natural  sensation,  to  be 
taken  as  a  matter  of  course,  it  would  be  much  better  and 
much  more  artistic  simply  to  hold  fast  to  the  prescribed 
tempo  throughout.  When  it  becomes  evident  that  the  con- 
ductor wants  to  "create"  something  special,  in  order  that 
his  own  mind  and  inspiration  may  shine  forth,  nature,  unity 
and  direct  contact  with  the  original  are  immediately  Sacri- 
ficed and  Beethoven's  own  peculiar  style  is  irreparably  lost 
I  therefore  recommend  a  very  careful  trial  of  the  proposals 
which  I  have  made.  I  would  much  prefer  that  they  should 
not  be  followed  at  all,  than  that  they  should  be  wrongly 
followed. 

Page  14,  last  bar  but  two  to  page  15,  first  bar.  The 
transference  of  the  secondary  theme  from  the  horns  in  the 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


71 


first  part  of  this  movement  to  the  bassoons  here  is  merely 
a  way  out  of  a  difficulty.  Beethoven  could  not  entrust  it  to 
the  Eüat  horns,  as  he  could  not  use  stopped  notes  for  this 
powerful  and  luminous  passage.  There  was  no  time  for  a 
transposition  and  evidently  he  was  unwilling  to  add  a  second 
pair  of  horns  simply  for  the  sake  of  these  few  bars.  So 
there  was  no  other  way  out  of  the  difficulty  than  to  make 
use  of  the  bassoons.  The  effect  they  produce,  however, 
when  compared  with  the  idea  we  obtain  from  this  passage 
as  it  appears  in  the  first  part,  is  lamentable,  in  fact  it  is 
simply  comic.  It  sounds  as  though  a  "Bajazzo"  had  made  his 
way  into  the  council  of  the  gods.  And  this  bad  effect  is 
increased  by  the  fact  that  both  horns  suddenly  chime  in  with 
an  open  natural  note  in  the  4'^  bar  at  s/^  so  that  this  bar 
sounds  quite  unreasonably  louder  than  the  three  preceding 
ones.  The  attempt  has  been  made  to  let  the  horns  chime 
in  /;  then  a  horn  has  been  added  to  the  bassoons  or  the 
bassoons  doubled,  which  is  of  course  also  only  a  make-shift. 
There  is  only  one  radical  change  which  can  be  made  and 
this  is  preferable  to  all  these  half-measures;  that  is,  to  re- 
place the  bassoons  by  the  horns^  and  this  is  certainly  what 
Beethoven  would  have  done,  had  all  our  instruments  been 
at  his  disposal.  The  bassons  can  pause  from  the  bar  in 
question  onwards  and  need  not  chime  in  before  the  6'^  bar 
of  page  15,  just  as  they  do  in  the  corresponding  passage 
in  the  first  part;  then  the  three-bar-pauses  in  the  horns  can 
be  filled  in  thus: 


i 


m 


t=l=4: 


-.0*— 


Jf  sf\         sf 


This  is  the   only  way   in  which  this  theme  can  acquire  its 
true  colour  and  dignity. 

Page  15,  bars  2  and  following.    See  what  has  been  said 


72 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


for  the  two  last  bars  of  page  5  and  those  immediately  follow- 
ing. 

Page  18,  bars  2 — 7.  In  reference  to  this  passage,  I  will 
quote  what  I  have  already  said  in  my  book  "On  the  Art  of 
Conducting"  (Über  das  Dirigieren),  3^"^  edition: 

"In  one  passage  towards  the  end  of  the  first  movement 
a  period  of  five  bars  occurs. 


^^l^l^[m^# 


i^si 


m 


-:i=t:ir 


^m- 


Whether  the  4'^  bar  of  the  second  period,  the  general  rest, 
be  taken  as  a  short  fennata^  and  the  first  bar  of  the  follow- 
ing period  of  five  bars  as  an  up-beat  (which  would  give 
another  period  of  four  bars),  or  whether  the  extra  bar  be 
explained  by  assuming  that  the  principal  theme,  when  it  is 
repeated,  is  written  the  first  time  thus 


the  second  time  with  one  additional  bar  thus 


I 


Efci 


^^^ 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY.  ^3 

in  fact,  however  the  matter  be  mathematically  reckoned,  in 
any  case  the  short  breathless  pause  followed  by  the  burst- 
ing forth  of  the  prolonged  chord  of  the  diminished  seventh 
produces  a  fearful ,  threatening,  overpowering  and  even 
crushing  effect.  It  is  as  if  a  giant  fist  was  seen  rising  out 
of  the  earth.  Now  is  it  believable,  that  on  almost  every 
occasion  I  have  found  the  indescribable  effect  of  this  pas- 
sage simply  destroyed  by  the  criminal  omission  of  one  bar 
of  the  diminished-seventh  chord,  or  even  of  the  general  rest- 
bar  itself? 

"The  most  tasteless  rhythmical  displacements  have  been 
allowed  with  impunity,  the  most  idiotic  air-pauses  have  been 
introduced  so  as  to  look  interesting,  but  the  outburst  of  a 
genius  into  the  lawlessness  characteristic  of  a  true  genius 
has  been  levelled  to  the  ground;  four  bars  must  be  the 
order  of  the  day.     O  sancta  simplicitas!"  — 

Page  18,  bar  11  to  page  20,  bar.  23.  In  the  whole  of 
musical  literature  I  know  of  no  passage  which  produces  a 
greater  instrumental  effect.  And  yet  no  more  instruments 
are  playing  than  in  one  of  Haydn's  symphonies!  Are  they 
giants  whom  we  hear  scraping  and  blowing?  Does  the 
power  of  the  thought  speak  so  forcibly  to  us  that  the  ear 
of  our  soul  hears  more  than  the  ear  of  our  body?  —  Who 
is  so  bold  as  to  wish  to  fathom  the  actions  of  a  genius?  — 

My  advice  as  to  the  execution  is:  for  Heaven's  sake  let 
there  be  no  hurry  and  no  gradation.  Strict,  not  too  fast, 
normal  time  and  emphatic  fortissimo  every  where.  Every 
note  as  if  it  were  made  of  iron. 

In  conducting  Beethoven's  symphonies  one  can  never 
be  safe  from  surprises.  In  a  large  orchestra  I  did  not  succeed 
at  first  in  giving  this  passage  its  full  value,  nor  did  I  im- 
mediately discover  the  reason.  The  riddle  was  not  solved 
until  at  the  next  rehearsal  I  found  that  the  permanent  con- 
ductor had  prescribed  the  following  accents: 


74 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


SifeE£?Ef 


EE 


&c. 


and  that  this  was  followed  by  some  of  the  players.  It  is 
hardly  believable  that  the  idea  would  occur  to  anyone  to 
disfigure  this  cyclopean  structure  with  a  zig-zag  line  of 
syncopation. 

Page  2  1.  The  enormous  force  of  the  preceding  part  seems 
to  me  to  justify  a  slight  diminution  of  speed  from  perhaps 
the  second  bar  of  this  page  onwards;  then  the  main  theme, 
which  comes  in  once  again  for  the  last  time  with  absolutely 
crushing  weight,  seems  somewhat  distributed  here,  as  it  is 
in  no  other  passage  of  the  movement.  The  whole  moral 
and  physical  strength  both  -of  conductor  and  players  must 
be  concentrated  once  again  on  this  elementary  theme,  and 
this  is  what  I  found  impossible  in  allegro-Wmt.  I  then 
sustained  the  fermate  here  longer  than  in  the  other  passages, 
and  began  the  incomparably  beautiful  //««^-passage  after 
the  second  fermata  at  a  still  more  restful  time,  in  order  to 
allow  the  first  time  to  make  its  entry  again  at  the  ff  —  a 
painful  memory,  from  which  one  has  to  tear  one's-self  ener- 
getically away,  in  pursuance  of  one's  fate. 

If  we  treat  each  respective  pair  of  bars  as  one,  in  order 
to  do  justice  to  the  rhythmic  value,  from  the  24'^  bar  of 
page  20  we  get  the  following  passage: 


nn 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY.  75 

Thus  we  see  that  the  main  theme  now  has  exactly  the 
same  rhythmical  character  as  it  had  in  the  repetition  of  the 
first  part.  Thus  first  appearance  and  return  correspond  on 
the  one  hand,  repetition  and  coda  on  the  other.  The  two 
bars  however  which  apparently  cannot  be  taken  together 
as  one,  do  actually  complete  each  other  mutually  and  can 
thus  also  be  considered  as  one  bar.  So,  in  this  respect  too, 
the  whole  movement  is  wonderfully  proportioned,  and,  on 
this  very  account,  the  meaning  of  the  one  irregular  period 
(page  18)  is  greatly  enhanced. 

If  the  string-quartett  is  strong,  doubled  wood-wind  is 
very  beneficial  in  this  symphony.  I  have  introduced  doub- 
ling in  the  first  movement  for  the  following  passages. 

Page  3,  bars  1—5. 

Page  4,  bars  9 — 11. 

Page  5,  bars  14 — 20. 

Page  7,  bar  2  to  page  8,  bar  13. 

Page  10,  bar  12  to  page  11,  bar  28. 

Page  12,  bar  3—7  and  15 — 27. 

Page   14,  bars  16—22. 

Page  16,  bar  9  to  page  17,  last  bar  but  one. 

Page  18,  bar  3  to  page  21,  bar  7. 

Page  21,  bar  16  to  the  end. 


Page  22.  The  time  is  andante  con  fnoto,  so  it  is  fairly 
animated.  If  the  con  moto  is  overlooked  the  movement  be- 
comes tedious  and  rambling;  if  however  the  conductor,  in 
his  efforts  to  do  justice  to  the  con  moto^  forgets  the  andante ^ 
the  whole  soul  of  the  movement  is  taken  away  and  in  its 
place  we  have  an  indifferent  piece  of  tinsel  with  high-sound- 
ing phrases.  The  metronome  mark  J^  =  92  changes  the 
andante  into  an  allegretto.  I  have  therefore  adopted  about 
h  =  84.     In  my  work  "On  the  Art  of  Conducting**  I  have 


7  6  FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 

already  mentioned  the  difficulty  of  expressing  in  words  what 
can  only  be  expressed  by  a  deeply  felt  and  animated  exe- 
cution. To  the  numerous  cases  of  this  kind  we  must  reckon 
the  right  appreciation  of  the  time  of  this  movement.  I  must 
warn  against  any  sentimental  distortion,  either  of  the  prin- 
cipal melodies,  or  of  the  triplets  (Page  22,  bars  14,  18,  19 
and  20).  I  would  also  warn  against  robbing  the  magnificent 
^'major-passages  (pages  23,  26  and  30)  of  their  freshness 
by  allowing  the  speed  to  slacken  with  the  idea  of  producing 
a  pompous  effect. 

Page  26,  bar  11  to  page  27,  bar  6.  The  demi-semi- 
quaver  and  semi-quaver  notes  in  the  violoncellos  sound 
better  played  with  an  up-stroke  only,  than  with  up-  and 
down-stroke  alternately.  The  same  holds  good  in  the  two 
last  bars  of  page  25  for  second  violins  and  violas. 

Page  28,  bars  10  and  following.  The  melodic  figure  in 
bassos  and  violoncellos  becomes  a  little  indistinct  here,  so 
it  is  better  if  these  instruments  play  with  their  full  strength 
at  first.  Trumpets,  horns  and  kettle-drums  are  modified  to 
w/,  and  by  this  means  their  cessation  later,  when  the  har- 
monic sounds  have  also  ceased,  is  rendered  less  noticeable. 
Wagner  has  already  recommended  this  modification.  I 
should  advise  the  string  and  wood-wind  players  not  to  play 
loudly  enough  to  prevent  themselves  from  hearing  the  bass- 
figures  distinctly.  This  renders  the  whole  passage  clearer. 
The  glory  of  the  passages  lies,  not  so  much  in  the  brass, 
or  the  upper  chords,  as  in  the  splendid  basses;  justice  must 
be  done  to  these  at  all  cost. 

Page  29,  bar  9.  The  fermata  should  not  be  sustained 
too  long. 

Page  30,  bar  4.  Biilow  allowed  this  /c'r/^-chord  to  be 
played  pizzicato  by  the  quartett,  though  only  in  his  later 
years,  I  believe.     One  can  only  ask  "Why?"   in  amazement. 

Page  33,  bars  8 — 13.  The  partially  imitative,  but  every- 
where   independently  conducted   melody   of  the  wood-wind 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY.  77 

disappears  altogether  if  all  the  instruments  of  the  orchestra 
play  a  uniform  ff.  If  doubled  wood-wind  is  to  be  had,  this 
is  partially  obviated  by  strengthening  the  parts  of  the  flutes, 
clarinets  and  bassoons  (not  the  oboes)  in  the  bars  mentioned. 
A  ;=^  can  be  played  after  the  ff  in  the  first  bar  for  the 
oboes,  horns  and  trumpets  so  as  to  enable  them  to  play 
the  following  four  bars  only  mf.  Then  the  kettle-drums  in 
the  third  bar  also  come  in  at  mf.  In  the  last  bar  the  in- 
struments in  question  can  play  crescendo  again  up  to  an  ff 
in  the  first  bar  of  page  34.  (In  bar  6  the  second  trumpet 
of  course  takes  the  lower  F.]  The  string-quartett  however 
phrases  in  the  following  manner,  which  is  noted  here  for 
the  violins  only. 


The  ;;//  and  /  in  this  passage  should  be  understood  merely 
to  mean  a  somewat  modified  ff.  The  degree  of  modifica- 
tion must  be  decided  upon  in  proportion  to  the  distinctness 
with  which  the  melody  can  already  be  heard  in  the  wood- 
wind, which  is  blowing  ff  continuously  throughout. 

If  doubled  wood-wind  cannot  be  obtained,  then,  I  think, 
there  is  only  one  way  of  doing  justice  to  this  counterpart, 
and  that  is  to  hand  over  the  purely  harmonic  parts  of  the 
oboes  to  the  clarinets,  and  to  give  their  melodic  parts  to  the 
much  more  prominent  oboes  thus: 


78 


FIFTH  SYiMPHONY, 


This  is,  of  course,  in  addition  to  the  dynamic  gradation 
already  described.  An  even  surer  way,  though  a  much  more 
arbitrary  one  it  is  true,  is  to  do  away  with  the  filling  in 
part  in  the  wood-wind  altogether  and  to  let  all  eight  instru- 
ments play  the  theme;  then  in  the  last  five  bars  of  page  33 
the  part  of 'the  oboes  might  be  given  to  the  horns  and 
written  as  follows: 


Ü 


J^J. 


t 


:bi 


F?=?^ 


Every  conductor  must  settle  with  his  own  conscience  as 
to  whether  he  can  adopt  either  of  these  proposals.  The 
acoustic  conditions  of  the  hall  will  have  some  weight  in  the 
decision,  but  in  all  such  cases  the  supreme  command  to  be 
obeyed  is  that  of  clearness. 


Page  37.  The  third  movement  cannot  be  compared  with 
any  of  the  other  Scherzi  of  Beethoven's  symphonies,  in  spite 
of  the  number  of  different  types  which  exist.  It  is  heavier 
and  more  tragic  and  must  therefore  be  performed  more 
Slowly  than  the  others.  The  metronome  mark  '  =  96  is  ex- 
cellent and  should  be  retained  for  the  Trio,  which,  for  some 
unknown  reason,  is  generally  played  more  slowly  than  the 
main  part.  It  is  interesting  from  the  point  of  view  of  rhythmic 
value,  that  here  too  each  pair  of  bars  has  to  be  taken  to- 
gether as  one  bar.     The  beginning  therefore  reads  as  follows 

pocorit. 


^  a  tempo 


(^.}nj}^rV\Wf^}Yrrr\r^ 


&c. 


and  similarly  for  the  whole  of  the  movement. 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


79 


Page  38,  bar  18  and  page  40,  bar  15.  I  have  heard  these 
bars  played  as  though  sf  stood  before  each  dijninuendo^  so 
that  these  bars  began  just  as  loudly  as  the  two  respective 
preceding  ones  which  were  really  marked  sf.  I  have  also 
hear^  them  played  so  that  the  beginning  of  the  bars  quoted 
was  already  weakened,  which  is  rather  natural,  as  the  third 
preceding  crotchet  has  already  a  slightly  diminished  force 
compared  with  the  sf.  It  thus  sounded  as  though  these  two 
bars,  in  contrast  to  the  two  respective  preceding  ones  marked 
sf  had  an  mf  dimin.  prescribed  for  them  in  the  score.  And 
this  I  believe  to  be  the  right  mode  of  execution.  This  view- 
is  upheld  moreover  by  the  fact  in  the  second  passage  p  is 
prescribed  for  the  trumpets  and  kettledrums. 

Page  41,  bar  14.  The  crescendo  with  which  this  bar  be- 
gins must  on  no  account  be  allowed  to  cause  an  increase 
of  speed. 

Page  42.  It  is  important  for  the  whole  Trio  that  the  up- 
beat of  the  theme  should  not  be  indistinctly  given,  but 
should  be  played  forcibly  and  rendered  distinct  from  the 
following  notes,  without  however  causing  any  modification  of 
the  time.  It  is  true  that  the  character  of  the  Trio  is  that 
of  an  irresistible  storm  somewhat  regardless  of  consequences, 
but  it  is  always  dignified  and  never  uncouth. 

Page  46.  The  pizzicati  of  the  contrabassos  (five  bars  be- 
fore the  double-bar)  can  bear  a  slight  diminution  in  the 
speed,  which  may  reach  its  climax  at  the  A  flat  G.  Normal 
time  should  be  resumed  when  the  ^^arco''^  is  reached. 

Page  46,  bars  20  and  following.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
said  as  to  the  execution  of  this  incomparable  ''reprise",  but 
that  it  would  be  spoiled  if  any  attempt  were  made  to  intro- 
duce gradations  either  into  the  time  or  the  strength.  The 
arco  grace  notes  in  the  violas  are  a  possible  source  of  danger 
for  the  breathless  piano  which  should  dominate  all  this  part, 
so  that  I  cannot  sufficiently  recommend  the  softest  possible 
sound  for  these  instruments. 


8o 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  52.  Entry  of  the  Finale.  With  full  force,  but  not 
too  slowly.     The  metronome  mark  is  good. 

Page  55,  bar  4  to  page  56,  bar  2.  At  a  Berlin  perfor- 
mance at  which  I  was  once  present,  Biilow  introduced  the 
following  time-gradation, 

molto  rit.         -------         a  tempo 


tt 


^^ 


^ 


^^ 


-^ 


sf 


molto  rit. 


'~rr 


a  tempo 


P5 


p^ae 


w 


LM 


J-    r— ; 


which  I  merely  reproduce  as  a  warning  against  such  senseless 
dislocations,  which  merely  cause  surprise  and  produce  no 
artistic  expression. 

It  should  be  observed  that  the  phrasing  runs  thus 


^n^'B'^ 


(- 

arid  not,  as  it  is  generally  played,  thus 


-4- 
ff) 


^ 


i^ 


[sf]  {sf) 

Page  56,  last  bar  and  page  57,  first  bar.  Experience  has 
taught  me  that  the  difference  in  rhythm  and  phrasing  in  these 
two  bars  as  compared  with  that  of  the  two  preceding  ones, 
can  be  distinctly  rendered  by  holding  on  the  dotted  crot- 
chets and  placing  a  significant  emphasis  on  the  quaver  notes(Z>). 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


8i 


Page  58,  bars  i,  5  and  7  with  the  up-beat.  The  phrase 
of  the  first  and  second  violins  should  not  be  played  as  a 
figuration  but  in  a  sustained,  melodic  manner,  giving  exact 
value  to  the  triplets  and  without  any  false  accent  on  the 
first  and  third  crotchets; 


is  therefore  a  better  notation  than 


^^ 


^ot^ 


sf  sf  sf 

There  is  a  tendency  here  for  the  players  to  hurry.    We 
shall  see  the  phrase  in  the  violoncellos 


t 


:^ 


acquire  such  importance  presently,  that,  in  my  opinion,  it 
is  advisable  to  bring  it  rather  into  prominence  already,  both 
here  and  in  similar  passages.  This  can  be  done  without 
any  change  in  the  notation  if  the  attention  of  the  players 
is  drawn  to  the  passage. 

Page  63.  It  is  better  to  omit  the  repetition  of  the  first 
part.  The  C major  coming  in  after  the  gloomy  anxiety  of 
the  third  movement  is  so  supremely  powerful,  that  a  repetition 
which  is  not  preceded  by  the  anxious  expectation,  can  only 
weaken  the  effect. 

Page  64,  bar  2  with  up-beat  to  page  65,  bar  2.  First 
the  violas  and  violoncellos,  then  the  first  and  second  violins 
with  the  violas,  may  be  brought  rather  into  prommence 
from  a  thematic  point  of  view.  Compare  what  has  been- 
said  for  page  58. 

Page  65,  bars  2  and  following.  In  this  graceful  passage 
both  string  and  wood-wind  should  play  in  the  softest  manner 

Weingartser,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  6 


82 


FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 


possible.    One  might  perhaps  also  recommend  the  conductor 
to  adopt  a  rather  more  "flowing"  time. 

Page  66,  bar  z  to  page  67,  bar  i.  The  thematic  part 
entrusted  to  the  violoncellos  and  contrabassos  often  sounds 
strangely  weak  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  are  accompanied 
by  the  contra-bassoon.  As  the  character  of  the  bassos  is 
here  evidently  intended  to  be  very  weighty  and  powerful, 
I  have  often  reinforced  them  with  the  third  trombone.  The 
latter  however  should  not  play  with  immoderate  strength, 
otherwise  it  will  destroy  the  colossal  effect  of  the  entrance 
of  the  first  and  second  trombones  which  immediately  follows. 
I  therefore  gave  the  following  part  to  the  third  trombone 


iE^^ 


^9^—  b.'g*^ 


^ 


^ 


-2^ 


and  thus  obtained  the  desired  efiect.  If  however,  owing 
either  to  the  acoustic  properties  of  the  hall,  the  arrangement 
of  the  players  or  the  special  excellence  of  the  orchestra, 
the  bassos  were  sufficiently  audible  without  the  help  of  the 
trombone,  of  course  I  let  them  play  alone.  The  first  and 
second  trombones  cannot  display .  enough  splendour  and 
force  in  the  glorious  passage  which  follows  (page  67). 
They  must  play  with  evident  enthusiasm. 

Page  68,   bars  i   and  2.     The  powerful  antithesis  in  the 
violins  and  brass-instruments 


I 


^ 


e 


^nr^TtTT 


cannot  be  strongly  enough  accented. 

Page  69,  last  bar  but  one  to  page  70,  bar  3.  The  wood- 
wind is  too  weak  here  even  when  it  plays  doubled.  I 
therefore  have  no  hesitation  in  letting  the  horns,  which  are 


FIFTH  ^^MPHONY.  83 

simply   employed   here   in   unison   with   the    short  trumpet- 
notes,  play  as  follows: 

h.  2  , 


I 


j— j-    p    I    ,i.„--a^z=p=t==g:zz^ 


^ 


f^ 


// 


by  which  means  the  passage  becomes  a  regular  blaze  of  glory. 

Page  72.  In  the  three-four  time  I  interpreted  the  time 
in  such  wise  that  two  bars  corresponded  exactly  in  value  to 
one  allabreve-bar;  I  thus  really  kept  to  the  same  time  and 
held  it  fast  until  the  second  entry  of  the  allabreve-bar.  The 
reminiscence  of  the  Scherzo  has  lost  all  its  anxious  expectancy 
here.  It  is  as  though  years  of  a  rich  and  full  life  lay  in 
between;  a  short  lingering  over  scenes  of  the  past  which 
no  longer  cause  any  pain,  then  suddenly  a  fresh,  joyous 
appropriation  of  the  smiling  present.  Over-powered  by  the 
feeling  which  I  have  just  tried  to  describe,  I  have  never 
been  able  to  help  giving  the  return  of  the  main  theme 
(page  67)  in  a  somewhat  more  animated  manner  than  the 
first  time. 

Page  81,  bars  2  and  3.  For  the  bassos  see  what  was 
said  for  the  violins  in  the  last  bar  of  page  56,  and  the  first 
bar  of  page  57. 

Page  82,  bars  3  and  7,  and  page  83,  bar  2  with  up-beats. 
See  page  58,  bars  i,  5  and  7. 

Page  86,  last  bar  to  page  87,  last  bar.  First  the  violon- 
cellos, then  the  first  violins  must  develope  as  much  force 
as  possible  in  their  theme.  If  all  the  wind  then  attack 
the  same  theme  at  the  same  time,  they  must  be  exhorted 
to  play  the  up-beat  (page  87,  last  bar  at  the  piu  f)  with 
great  emphasis  and  determination  and  not  wait  for  the  first 
following  crotchet,  which  often  happens  out  of  sheer  care- 
lessness. 

I  will  here  give  the  result  of  a  long  experience  with 
orchestras   of  the    most  varied    kinds.      Both    trumpets    and 

6* 


84  FIFTH  SYMPHONY. 

kettle-dfums,  especially  the  latter,  when  they  have  to  come 
in  fortissimo^  generally  only  begin  to  think  about  it  at  the 
moment  when  they  have  to  come  in;  the  consequence  is 
that  the  first  chord  sounds  quite  feeble  and  the  fortissimo 
proper  only  begins  at  the  second  chord.  Many  splendid 
brass  effects,  and  not  least  the  beginning  of  the  Finale  of 
which  we  have  just  been  speaking,  have  been  spoiled  by 
this  apparently  hereditary  laziness.  The  conductor  should 
therefore  exhort  the  wind  concerned  to  have  breath, 
instrument  and  attention  in  Teadmess  so  that  they  have  all 
their  force  at  their  disposal  at  the  important  moment,  and 
do  not  come  into  possession  of  it  only  when  the  deciding 
point  is  passed. 

Page  89,  bars  4 — 9.  If  hitherto  the  speed  has  possibly 
been  somewhat  increased,  these  beats  give  the  welcome 
opportunity  of  bringing  it  back  to  the  normal  again.  In 
any  case  I  should  recommend  that  the  whole  passage  which 
follows  from  the  entry  of  the  bassoon  (bar  9]  to  the  sempre 
pill  allegro  (page  93)  should  be  taken  at  a  speed  jiot  greater 
than  that  of  the  beginning.  The  sublime  joyfulness  of  this 
passage  is  then  effectually  reproduced. 

Page  93,  bars  4 — 6.  No  increase  of  speed  is  allowable 
here.  On  the  contrary,  the  players  of  stringed  instruments 
must  be  carefully  warned  to  restrain  the  tendency  to  hurry — , 
which,  curiously  enough,  is  always  observable  in  this 
passage,  —  otherwise  the  quaver  figures  in  the  wood-wind 
and  horns  sound  indistinct  and  blurred.  The  increase  of 
speed  comes  in  at  the  sempre  piu  allegro^  as  prescribed. 
This  direction  is  more  important  than  appears  at  first  sight. 
The  uncertain  hurrying  which  one  generally  hears  at  the 
first  rehearsals  is  simply  horrible. 

Page  94,  bar  8.  I  think  I  am  justified  in  looking  upon 
the  presto  as  a  continuation  of  the  sempre  piii  allegro.  Thus 
if  I  began  here  to  conduct  in  whole  bars,  these  were  at  first 
not  really  quicker  than  the  immediately  preceding  bars  which 


FIFTH  SYMPHONV. 


85 


were  conducted  with  two  beats;  in  fact  the  whole  passage, 
from  the  sempre  piu  allegro  to  the  fortissimo  on  page  96 
(bar  11)  where  the  full  presto  comes  in,  seemed  like  one 
single  great  accelerando. 

J  need  hardly  say  that  if  doubled  wood-wind  can  be  ob- 
tained it  can  be  freely  used  in  the  Finale.  I  should  recommend 
in  any  case,  even  in  smaller  orchestras,  the  doubling  of  the 
horns  in  this  movement;  the  third  can  be  paired  with  the  first, 
the  second  with  the  fourth,  and  the  parts  marked  D  and  vS 
as  in  the  wood-wind.  Two  piccolos  would  also  be  an  ad- 
vantage; the  contrabassoon  of  course  suffices  undoubled. 

The  doubling  is  generally  introduced  in  the  two  last 
bars  of  the  third  movement  (page  50);  then,  whilst  the  other 
instruments  are  already  playing  fairly  strongly,  the  streng- 
thening instruments  come  in  at  piano  and  make  a  strong 
crescendo  which  gives  greater  intensity  to  the  general  cre- 
scendo. From  the  beginning  of  the  Finale  everything  is 
played  doubled  until  bar  5  of  page  58.  Then  the  doubling 
comes  in  again  at  the  following  places. 

Page  59,  bar  5  to  page  60,  bar  3. 

Page  61,  bar  4  to  page  64,  bar   i. 

Page  66,  bar  2  (fourth  crotchet]  to  page  72,  first  bar  of 
the  ^/^  time. 

Page  76,  bar  i  to  page  82,  last  bar  but  one. 

Page  83.  The  first  flute  can  begin  from  the  fourth  bar; 
the  other  reinforcements  begin  in  the  last  bar  at  the  ff  and 
continue  till  bar  6  of  page  84. 

Page  85,  last  bar  but  one  to  page  89,  bar  9.  (The 
bassoon-solo  single  however).  On  pages  90  to  93  the  semi- 
quaver runs  of  the  piccolo  may  be  doubled,  but  nothing  else. 

The  last  doubling  begins  in  the  last  bar  but  one  of 
page  96  at  the  ff  and  continues  to  the  end. 


86  SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 

Page  3.  The  metronome-mark  1—66  is  too  quick  and 
gives  rise  to  the  erroneous  idea  that  this  movement  ought 
to  be  conducted  in  whole  bars.  I  should  propose  J=  108 
or  thereabout. 

Page  3,  bar  4.    No  pause  to  be  made  after  the  fermata. 

Page  3,  bar  12.  Although  /  is  prescribed  as  recently 
as  the  preceding  bar,  the  /  in  the  bar  which  follows  and 
the  melodic  character  of  the  whole  passage  seetped  to  me 
to  justify  a  diminution  of  force  in  this  bar  between  the  two 
/'s.     I  have  therefore  marked  it  mf. 

Page  6,  bar  23.  In  order  to  bring  the  melodic  parts  — 
flute  and  clarinet  —  into  relief,  I  made  the  string-quartett, 
after  having  executed  a  moderate  crescendo^  begin  this  bar 
piano  again;  the  four  following  bars  should  still  be  pianch, 
then  in  the  second  bar  on  page  7  a  crescendo  begins  which 
leads  up  to  the  /  in  full  gradation. 

Page  7,  bar  21  and  page  8,  bars  2,  5  and  6.  The  se- 
cond horn  plays  the  lower  D  throughout. 

Page  9.     The  first  part  not  to  be  repeated. 

Page  10,  bar  9.  The  incomparably  beautiful  entry  of 
this  Z> major  acquires  more  significance,  if  the  orchestra, 
after  the  preceding  crescendo^  begins  pp  again  and  lets  the 
crescendo  start  afresh  gradually  from  the  beginning.  By  this 
means,  in  addition  to  the  poetical  effect  which  is  gained  by 
the  modulation,  the  almost  inevitable  error  in  a  crescendo 
of  such  length  (24  bars),  of  allowing  the  full  forte  to  be- 
gin too  soon,  is  avoided.  Exactly  the  same  holds  good  for 
the  similar  entry  of  the  ^major  in  bar  12  of  page  12. 

Page  II,  bars  15  and  16,  and  page  13,  bars  18  and  19, 
A  conductor  with  a  very  fine  feeling  for  modulations  of 
time,  might  introduce  a  gentle  ritenuto  in  these  two  bars, 
and    then    return    to    the    original    time    in  each   respective 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY.  87 

suc(xcding  bar.  If  done  with  care  and  without  exaggeration 
this  produces  a  very  good  effect  and  is  quite  in  keeping 
with  the  spirit  of  the  symphony. 

Page  12,  last  bar  to  page  13,  bar  10.  Certainly  Beethoven 
would  have  made  use  of  the  horns  in  this  bar  if  the  needed 
notes  had  been  at  his  disposal.  This  is  clear  from  the 
similar  passage  in  bar  17  of  page  10.  I  have  therefore  add- 
ed the  following  parts  for  the  horn  starting  from  the  bar 
in  question. 

•^     I  _i  _|  _|      I     ^   I     '^   !     ^^     I     '/     ^  V 

l>  crest.  JJ 

This  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  but  it  seems  rather 
strange  to  hear  this  passage  which  is  raised  a  tone  (i:major 
in  contradistinction  to  the  preceding  Z)  major)  without  the 
ring  of  the  horns,  and  to  be  forced  to  say  that  doubtless  it 
was  only  a  technical  hindrance  which  caused  this  omission. 
The  artistic  conscience  of  the  conductor  must  be  the  guide 
as  to  whether  my  suggestion  should  be  adopted  or  not. 

Page  14,  bars  g — 16.  For  a  careful  performance  I  pro- 
pose the  following  notation  for  violas  and  violins: 


iP) 


i^.3%^ji-^ii^ 


t: 


^^i^i^öiiiii 


Page    15,   bars   4   and    5.      The   second    horn    plays    the 
lower  D. 

Page   16,  bars  2   and  4.     The  trill  should  be  taken  wiih- 


88  SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 

out  grace-note  to  the  second   crotchet    of  the   last  bar;   it 
stops  there,  so  that  this  crotchet  is  played 

^m — 


3 


simply,  without  shake. 

Page  1 6,  bars  17 — 19.  Second  violins  and  violas  come 
in  here  as  a -repeating  continuation  of  the  clarinets  and 
bassoons.    The  following  notation  is  therefore  a  suitable  one: 


'>\  f  n  f  M  T  r 


{?) 


Page   19,  bar  12.     See  page  6,  bar  23. 

Page  22^  bars  11  and  following.  The  whole  passage 
would  be  robbed  of  its  character  if  it  were  to  be  hurried.  The 
first  time,  taken  in  an  easy  manner,  should  be  the  standard 
to  the  end  of  the  movement. 


Page  26.  The  second  violins,  the  violas  and  the  two  muted 
violoncellos  are  apt  to  sound  too  loud  in  all  the  passages 
where  they  have  figurations.  The  conductor  should  see  that 
these  instruments  only  form  a  background  which  brings  into 
relief  the  tender  light-pictures  of  the  melodic  parts.  Great 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  let  the  time  drag.  The  metro- 
nome-mark J  =  50  is  all  that  can  be  desired. 

Page  27,  last  bar  but  one.  In  order  to  allow  the  gently 
blowing  clarinet  to  give  a  clear  melodic  sound,  first  violins 
and  bassoon  might  begin  quite  pp  on  the  -F,  and  play 
crescendo  in  the  next  bar  with  the  rest  of  the  orchestra. 

Page  28,  bar  3.  In  order  to  obtain  a  graceful  execution 
1  think  the  following  gradation  is  justifiable: 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 


89 


VV 

.Page  30,  bars  2 — 5.  I  allowed  the  violins  and  the  first 
bassoon  to  play  slightly  diminuendo  on  the  fourth  crotchet 
of  the  first  of  these  bars;  then  all  players  began  the  following 
bar  (^ major)  in  lightest//.  In  the  next  bar  the  violas  and 
violoncellos  joined  the  bassoon,  also  as  softly  as  possible, 
but  animated  the  expression  just  the  least  bit  towards  the 
middle  of  the  bar.  Then  the  sound  is  again  diminished  in 
order  that  the  beginning  of  the  last  bar  may  be  quite  // 
again,  and  this  pianissimo  is  sustained  until  the  crescendo 
prescribed  by  Beethoven  on  the  fourth  crotchet. 


^ 


^  r  r  ^\i^  ^  TT^^r^-^^i^ 


w 


Page  31,  bars  4  and  5.  The  shake  on  the  G  in  the 
first  violins  goes  on  to  the  A  of  the  next  bar  without  grace- 
note.  Then  the  flute  and  first  violin  enliven  the  expression 
towards  the  middle  of  the  bar  in  the  manner  already  de- 
scribed for  the  violas,  violoncellos  and  bassoons.  (See  the. 
last  quotation.) 

Page  32,  bars  4  and  5.     For  the   sake  of  clearness  the 
following  notation  may  be  recommended: 


TSt  Virwlin 

"^^ — p— ^-^ — h   K  rK_ — — ;^ — \ — rf5 

W  ^\^  V7iX^.\^-  ^^'  ^ 

Viola  and 
Violoncello 

k  r  Its  'r  rr  ^'\riif 

go 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  33,  last  bar  to  page  34,  last  bar.  First  violins  and 
violas  should  play  the  three-note  figures  in  strictest  //,  as 
the  slightest  excess  of  prominence  in  these  parts  thickens 
the  sound  unduly.  I  should  prescribe  mp  for  the  flute  from 
the  last  crotchet  of  the  third  bar  on  page  34,  and  for  the 
oboe  from  the  5'^^  bar  onwards.  In  the  last  but  one  bar 
of  this  page  the  crescendo  in  the  quartett  and  the  horns 
should  only  be  quite  moderately  executed  in  order  not  to 
obscure  the  free  play  of  the  wood-wind.  For  the  last  bar 
I  have  adopted  the  following  notation: 


"y-'ipa  ^a  5i  'i^ 


I 


Quartett^  f  ^^  I  ^  I       ^^  ~*^ 

Page  35,  bars  2  and  3.  In  the  first  of  these  two  bars 
I  let  the  violas  and  violoncellos  play  crescendo  in  the  first 
half,  then  moderate  again  in  the  second  half  In  the  2"^  bar 
I  have  ventured  to  change  the  first  /  into  mf  in  all  the 
parts ;  then  I  added  a  ^<  which  leads  up  to  the  second  / 
prescribed  on  the  third  crotchet  of  this  bar.  In  reference 
to  the  last  remark,  see  the  similarly  notated  passage  on 
page  36,  bars  5  and  6. 

Page  35,  bar  4  to  page  36,  bar  3.  For  the  same  reason 
as  in  the  similar,  above-mentioned  passage,  the  bassoon  and 
first  violins  must  perform  their  figures  consisting  of  three 
notes  quite  pp.  So  too  the  crescendo  in  the  3'"'^  bar  of  page 
36  must  be  taken  in  a  very  moderate  sense.  Only  the 
solo -playing  clarinets  may  allow  themselves  more  free- 
dom. The  horns  can  take  the  lower  F  in  the  4**^  and  5^^ 
bars  of  page  35.  Not  so  however  in  the  first  two  bars  of 
page  36.     Here  the  second  clarinet  sustains  a  low  F  (sound 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY.  qi 

^"flat)  the  peculiar  sound  of  which  is  disturbed  if  the  second 
horn  blows  in  unison.  In  the  3"^^  bar  of  this  page  the 
second  horn  may  take  the  lower  F  again,  and  in  the  fourth 
the  lower  D. 

Page  36,  bar  7  to  page  37,  bar  i.  In  the  first  two  bars 
the  flute  should  be  marked  //  from  the  second  crotchet 
onwards.  In  the  last  two,  clarinets  and  first  bassoon  as 
well  as  the  rest  of  the  orchestra  should  be  marked  //,  the 
flutes,  however,  ///.  (See  the  wonderful  combination  of  the 
flute-notes  with  the  anticipation-notes  of  the  clarinet  in  the 
3'"'^  bar  of  the  passage  quoted.) 

Page  38,  bars  3—6.  From  here  onwards  the  whole  or- 
chestra should  play  in  lightest  pp  in  order  to  bring  the  flute, 
which  is  of  course  also  playing  equally  softly,  into  melodic 
relief.  In  the  last  two  bars  the  second  horn  [F^  Z7,  G)  plays 
an  octave  lower.  See  the  similar  bassoon-passage,  page  35, 
bars  4 — 7. 

Page  40,  bars  3—6.     See  page  30,  bars  2 — 5. 

Page  41,  bars  6  and  7.     See  page  31,  bars  4  and  5. 

Page  42,  bars  5  and  6.     See  page  32,  bars  4  and  5. 

Page  43,  last  bar  to  page  44,  bar  7.  This  splendid 
passage,  distinguished  by  its  simplicity  and  its  artistic  re- 
lation to  the  whole  work,  not  only  produces  its  best  effect, 
but  also  bears  the  truest  resemblance  to  nature,  when  it  is 
played  in  strict  time,  without  the  slightest  attempt  at  any 
special  gradation. 

Page  44,  last  bar  but  one.  In  the  first  half  of  this  bar, 
a  gentle,  moderate  ritenuto  may  be  introduced,  which,  from 
the  sf  onwards  gradually  gives  way  to  the  first  time  again. 


Page  45.  As  regards  the  time  of  this  Scherzo  also,  we 
gain  nothing  by  comparing  it  with  the  other  Scherzi  of 
Beethoven.  It  has  an  easy-going  character  and  must  there- 
fore  be   taken   rather  more   slowly  than ,  «for  instance ,   the 


92 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 


Scherzo  of  the  Eroica  or  the  seventh  Symphony.  It  should 
be  noticed  that  Beethoven  has  prescribed  allegro  here, 
whereas  generally  his  Scherzi  are  marked  either /r^j/d?,  molto 
vivace^  or  some  similar  expression  denoting  a  very  quick 
time.  The  metronome-mark  \  =  io8  also  helps  us  to  get 
a  true  appreciation  of  the  time.  A  really  quick  time  would 
not  only  destroy  the  true  character  of  this  piece  but  would 
also  be  detrimental  to  a  true  and  adequate  execution  of 
the  delightful  solo-passages  (pages  48,  49  and  50),  in  which 
we  seem  to  witness  the  rustic  dances  of  merry  youths 
and  maidens.  At  last,  at  the  end  of  the  movement,  when 
the  joyful  mood  has  risen  to  the  pitch  of  enthusiasm;  we 
see  that  Beethoven  himself  has  prescribed  a  rapid  time 
[presto).  And  yet  I  have  often  heard  the  whole  Scherzo 
taken  so  quickly  that  at  this  point  an  increase  of  speed 
becomes  impossible  and  the  movement  simply  hurries  on 
at  the  same  express  speed  throughout. 

Page  46,  bars  12,  19,  20  and  27,  page  47,  bars  3  and 
6,  page  51,  bars  10,  13,  14  and  17,  page  53,  bars  5,  10 
and  13.  In  these  bars  the  second  horn  takes  the  lower  C 
and  D  throughout,  as  the  awkward  leaps  in  this  part  can- 
only  be  explained  by  the-  fact  that  the 


was  wanting  on  the  natural  instruments. 

Page  50.  The  2/4  ^^^  emphatic  and  uncompromising, 
not  too  quick,  perhaps  J  =  116  instead  of  J  =  132. 

Page  50,  bar  22  to  page  51,  bar  i.  The  important 
and  characteristic  part  of  the  flute  becomes  inaudible  here  if 
the  rest  of  the  orchestra  plays  ff  as  prescribed.  This  can 
be  avoided  however  by  means  of  a  reinforcement,  without 
any  other  instrumental  change.  As  a  piccolo  is  necessary 
for  the  storm-movement,  the  player  of  this  instrument  can 
strengthen  the  iirst  flute  in  this  passage  (with  the  grand  flute, 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY 


93 


of  course,  which  he  will  bring  with  him  for  this  purpose) 
and  the  second  flute  may  here  also  play  the  part  of  the 
first.  It  matters  less  that  the  second  flute-part  be  sacrificed, 
than  that  the  part  of  the  first  flute  be  inaudible.  If  double 
wood-wind  can  be  had  for  the  storm-movement  and  the 
Finale,  we  have  a  total  of  at  least  five  flute-players  (includ- 
ing the  piccolo),  so  that  four  can  play  the  first,  and  one  the 
second  part.     This  gives  a  perfect  result. 

Page  54.  No  breath-pause  should  be  made  after  the  Scherzo. 
The  pp  tremolo  of  the  bassos,  which  represents  the  distant 
thunder,  comes  in  suddenly  and  unexpectedly.  This  move- 
ment is  unconditionally  allabreve^  and  must  therefore  be 
conducted  in  two  beats,  not  in  four  as  is  sometimes  done. 
The  mingling  of  quintoles  in  the  violoncellos  with  the  or- 
dinary semi-quavers  of  the  contrabassos  (page  55,  56  &c.) 
shews  clearly  that  Beethoven  intended  to  produce  an 
entirely  naturalistic  effect  here,  so  that  the  time  should  on 
no  account  be  retarded  for  the  sake  of  a  "correct  execution 
of  the  bass-figures",  which  is  a  view  that  I  have  sometimes 
heard  maintained.  The  metronome-mark  I  =  80  gives  the 
right  time. 

Doubled  wood-wind  and  doubled  horns  (third  to  first  and 
second  to  fourth)  are  very  useful  both  in  this  and  the  last 
movement.  The  doubling  might  come  in  from  bar  3  of 
page  55  to  page  58,  bar  6,  and  from  bar  4  of  page  60  to 
page  63,  last  bar  but  one. 

Page  65,  bar  1 1  to  the  end.  This  wonderful  transition 
will  bear  a  gradual  slackening  of  the  time  until  the  entry 
of  the  pastoral  song  for  which  J  =  60  is  a  very  good  me- 
tronome-mark. 

Page  67,  bar  6  to  page  68,  bar  2.  Here  Beethoven 
begins  to  strengthen  the  parts  of  violoncellos,  violas  and 
clarinets  by  means  of  the  horns.  From  the  fourth  bar  this 
reinforcement  ceases  as  the  notes  are  wanting  for  the  second 
horn,  and  at  last,   in   the  last  bar  of  the  passage,  the  first 


94 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 


horn  also  comes  to  a  stop  because  the  A  and  B  are  want- 
ing. This  breaks  into  the  melody  in  a  most  disturbing 
manner  and  it  not  only  may,  but  must  be  altered.  A  per- 
fect melodic  succession  of  the  horns  would  necessitate  the 
omission  of  harmonically  important  notes,  first  of  the  second 
horn,  and,  in  the  last  bar,  of  the  first  horn  also.  As  every 
orchestra  which  attempts  Beethoven's  Symphonies  at  all,  has 
four  horns  at  its  disposal,  I  should  advise  at  first  the  dou- 
bling of  the  horns  at  the  entry  of  the  melody,  and  then 
the  continuation  of  the  first  and  second  horn  from  the  last 
bar  but  one  of  page  67  thus: 


1  n  li  I  ^  jl  I  H 


allowing  the  third  and  fourth  meanwhile  to  play  the  original 
melody.  If  double  wood-wind  can  be  had  the  clarinets  may 
also  be  doubled. 

Page  70,  last  bar  but  one.  The  trill  in  the  first  violins 
to  be  played  as  a  short  double  upper-mordent  without 
ending  grace  note,  thus: 


'^i^^E^ 


Page  72.  The  beautiful  melody  in  the  clarinets  and 
bassoons  needs  a  particularly  expressive  execution.  I  have 
therefore  added  a  cantabile  to  the  dolce  and  written  the  parts 
as  follows: 


dolce  cantabile 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY 


95 


sf  r> 


m 


/«/ 


In  the  last  bar  of  this  quotation  I  let  all  the  wood-wind 
begin  to  play  7n/  on  the  third  quaver,  the  violins  and 
violas  on  the  second  semi-quaver,  and  extended  the  cresce^ido 
(begun  at  piii  f)  over  the  two  next  bars  to  the  ff  in  bar  2 
of  page  73.  It  may  in  certain  cases  be  useful  to  double 
the   clarinets   and   bassoons    until  the   third  bar  of  page  73. 

Page  73,  bar  g  to  page  74,  bar  5.  Here  the  wood-wind 
(exclusive  of  the  horns)  may  be  doubled.  It  may  be  ad- 
visable in  this  and  similar  passages,  not  to  let  the  doubling 
cease  all  at  once  in  all  the  instruments  at  the  same  time 
but  to  aim  at  a  uniform  dmiinuendo.  From  bar  6  of  page 
74  the  strengthening  instruments  might  therefore  play  the 
following: 


Trinf/»c 

Q^f  r  f-T f-   -f -7 Ad 

Oboes 

w — 

^         dim.                                              V 

^             dim. 

\^             --h 

^•^          ^* 

^-. ^ 1 — ^  Ä  -w    i sr— 

and 
Bassoons 

Py-y^"—- — ^^-^-i     H 

dim. 


A  thoughtful  conductor  will  be  able  to  decide  all  details 
of  style  and  expression  in  such  cases. 


g6  SIXTH  SYMPHONY. 

Page  75,  bars  3 — 10.  Ih^  pizzicati  of  the  second  violins 
must  be  brought  into  relief,  but  this  does  not  mean  that 
they  should  be  played  /. 

Päg^  75)  last  bar  but  one  to  page  76,  bar  5.  The  thematic 
alternation  between  first  violins  and  violas  must  be  rendered 
quite  distinct. 

Page  76,  bar  7  to  page  77,  bar  4.  The  variation  of  the 
main  theme  is  here  entrusted  exclusively  to  the  horns.  Here 
too  the  absence  of  certain  notes  in  Beethoven's  time  neces- 
sitated a  harmonic  deviation  from  the  melodic  feature. 
From  the  first  bar  of  page  77  however,  this  deviation  is  so 
in  accord  with  the  character  of  the  horn  that  the  absence 
of  a  deeper  melodic  part  is  not  felt  at  all.  But  in  the  last 
bar  of  page  76  Beethoven  was  driven  to  a  meaningless  and 
clumsy  leading  in  the  second  horn,  and  I  believe  that  every 
reader  endowed  with  a  fine  perception  will  feel  that  he 
wrote  this  part  unwillingly,  and  only  because  he  was  forced 
to  do  so  by  the  imperfection  of  the  instruments  of  his  day. 
I  have  therefore  introduced  this  change  into  the  second  horn: 


f^^^'r^ 


In  addition  to    this   the    horns    should  be   doubled   for  the 
whole  passage. 

Page  82,  last  bar  but  one  to  page  83,  bar  7.  If  doubled 
wood-wind  is  available,  the  first  flute  may  be  doubled  here, 
then  the  first  bassoon  and  first  oboe  (page  83,  bar  i)  and 
then  the  first  clarinet  (bar  4).  After  this  both  oboes,  the 
second  bassoon  and  the  second  clarinet  may  be  doubled 
(bar  6),  and  in  the  last  bar  mentioned  (bar  7)  the  horns  also. 
This  doubling  can  last  till  the  3'*^  bar  of  page  85,  where 
the  strengthening  instruments,  which  have  already  made  a 
strong  diminuendo  at  the  same  time  as  the  main  instruments, 
cease  playing. 


SIXTH  SYMPHONY.  q7 

Page  84,  bars  4  and  5.  In  order  to  do  justice  to  the 
splendour  of  this  magnificent  modulation,  I  introduced  a  ^=r 
in  the  first,  and  an  fff  in  the  second  bar.  This  latter  was 
sustained  in  its  full  force  until  the  diminuendo  began  (page 
85,  bar  i).  It  ought  to  sound  as  though  the  whole  fulness 
of  heavenly  blessing  was  being  poured  forth  over  fields  and 
meadows. 

History  tells  of  a  conductor  who  added  kettle-drums  in 
this  movement.  If  this  be  true,  no  words  can  express  the 
barbarism  of  such  a  proceeding.  Surely  no  supreme  genius 
is  needed  to  perceive  that,  in  this  symphony,  Beethoven  has 
reserved  the  kettle-drums  simply  to  produce  the  noise  of 
thunder,  and,  with  inimitable  fine-feeling,  has  abstained  from 
using  them  on  any  other  occasion. 

Page  85,  bars  7  and  following.  The  execution  of  the 
end  of  the  movement  must  be  absolutely  simple,  warm  and 
sincere,  without  any  trace  of  sentimentality  or  any  deviation 
from  normal  time.  In  the  two  last  beats,  and  from  bar  10 
to  bar  \2  of  page  86,  the  -wood-wind  and  horns  may  be 
doubled  in  such  wise  that  the  extra  instruments  hegm  piano 
m  bar  10  [not  forte),  play  crescendo  till  the  next  bar,  and 
thereupon  dijuifiiiendo  again,  thus: 


^^ 


TTfr*f 


This  in  conjunction  with  the  entry  of  the  trombones, 
produces  a  very  beautiful  swell,   like   the  swell  of  an  organ. 

In  reference  to  the  substitution  of  lower  notes  for  higher 
ones  in  the  second  parts  of  the  brass  instruments,  the  follow- 
ing hints  might  be  of  use. 

The  second  horn  takes  the  lower  D  everywhere  from 
the  last  bar  of  page  68  to  bar  5  of  page  70.  Then  it  takes 
the  lower   F  everywhere   from  page  72,  bar  7  to  page  73, 

Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  7 


98 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


bar  2;  the  lower  D  from  the  last  bar  of  page  77  to  bar  2  of 
page  78,  and  then  again  the  lower  D  in  bar  5  of  page  79. 
In  the  pastoral  song  the  second  trumpet  always  takes  the 
lower  D  instead  of  the  higher  one.  This  substitution  of 
lower  for  higher  notes  is  not  necessary  for  either  instrument 
in  the  storm-movement. 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

Page  3.  The  introduction  is  generally  played  too  slowly. 
it  is  marked  poco  sostenuto\  not  adagio^  or  even  andante, 
1  ]•€  time  is  never  really  slow'  throughout  the  whole  sym- 
ii'ony,  and  therefore  not  here,  where  the  vital  energy  which 
permeates  the  whole  work  seems  to  be  «already  moving  its 
svings.  What  can  one  say  when  one  hears  the  violin  pas- 
sages (page  4,  bars  i — 4),  which  seem  to  fly  up  like  airy 
sprites,  played  in  such  time  that  it  sounds  like  a  child  prac- 
tising scales;  or  when  the  light  ring  of  a  graceful  round 
;page  5,  bars  4  and  following,  page  7,  bars  2  and  following) 
is  played  so  slowly  that  one  can  imagine  one  hears  the 
funeral  procession  of  some  dead  general  approaching  in  the 
distance?  One  would  like  to  call  to  a  conductor  who  al- 
lows such  a  proceeding:  "For  heaven's  sake  read  the  time 
directions,  before  you  dare  to  conduct  such  a  master-piece" ! 

Page  6,  bar  3  to  page  7,  bar  i.  If  the  trumpets  blow  ff 
here  continuously,  they  sound  extraordinarily  shrill  and  hide 
both  the  characteristic  leaps  of  the  first  violin  and  the 
equally  uncommon  passages  of  the  wood-wind.  I  tried  at  first 
taking  the  trumpets  in  unison  with  the  first  violins  so  as  to 
bring  out  this  part  clearly.  As  I  grew  to  understand  Beet- 
hoven's style  better  however,  I  saw  the  worthlessness  of  this 
remedy.     I  should  therefore  warn  against  it  now.     But  I  do 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


99 


tliink  it  is  good  to  let  the  second  trumpet  occasionally  take 
the  lower  notes  (see  the  following  example),  and  make  a 
Fpccially  strong  accent  only  on  the  first  crotchet  of  each 
s-'rcond  bar,  where  the  harmony  changes  and  where  the 
kettle-drum  can  also  be  more  in  evidence  than  in  the  other  bars. 


Trumpets 


Kettle- 
drums 


Jf 


-121 


ff 


JJ 


=^ 


i^^=qE=f^|=^^=|^£:3^^_ 


1^ 


* 


3^ 


ff 


ff 


dimin. 


9^ 


J7         J 


i=qE=::i=:=p=t=iE=i=:=p=zi 


ff 


dimin. 


It   is   also   good  to   double   the   wood-wind    in    these  bars  if 
possible. 

Page  8,  bars  5 — 10.  This  passage  seems  meaningless  when 
it  is  executed  in  a  spiritless  manner.  In  any  case  those  who 
see  nothing  in  it  but  a  constant  repetition  of  the  same  note, 
will  not  be  able  to  make  anything  out  of  it,  and  in  their 
bewilderment  will  overlook  the  main  point  of  the  whole 
thing.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  two  last  bars  before  the  vi- 
vace  with  the  up-beat  prepare  the  way  for  the  rhythm  which 
characterizes  this  movement,  whereas  in  the  two  first  bars 
of  the  passage  quoted  the  vibrating  movement  of  the  intro- 
duction dies  away.  The  two  middle  bars,  which  represent 
the  moment  of  the  greatest  restfulness,  give  at  the  same  time 
the  feeling  of  intense  expectation  which  is  naturally  felt  at 
a  moment  when  the  old  is  dying,  and  the  new  is  momentarily 
expected    but    has    not  yet    actually    made    its    appearance. 


100  SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

After  the  first  two  bars  have  been  played  in  strictest  time, 
and  the  movement  has  died  away  of  itself  through  the  trans- 
ition from  semiquavers  to  quavers,  in  the  next  two  bars  the 
expectation  can  be  still  more  increased  by  means  of  a  very 
moderate  retardation  of  the  speed.  From  the  end  of  the 
4*^  bar  of  this  passage,  where*  the  entry  of  the  new  is  also 
indicated  by  a  change  of  key,  whilst,  in  contrast  to  the  pre- 
vious passage,  the  wind  leads  and  the  strings  follow,  the  time 
may  be  very  gradually  quickened.  At  the  entry  of  the  ^j^ 
time,  a  J^  may  be  taken  as  equivalent  to  the  previous  J,  and 
the  increase  of  speed  may  continue  until  full  vivace  time  is 
reached  in  the  5^*^  bar  of  the  %  time,  at  the  entry  of  the 
main  theme.  No  gradation  in  strength  should  be  thought 
of,  except  the  crescendo  prescribed  in  the  4*  bar  of  the  vivace. 
The  vivace  time  itself,  which  has  the  metronome  mark  J  =  104, 
should  not  be  too  quick,  otherwise  the  movement  loses  in 
strength  and  clearness.  It  should  be  remembered  that  J  H  I 
in  itself  gives  a  very  animated  musical  metre. 

Page  9,  bars  7  and  10.  The  sf  should  not  be  too  em- 
phatic.    It  should  be  noticed  that  it  is  sfp. 

Page  9,  bar  18.  The  pause  should  not  be  held  on  too 
long,  and  should  be  immediately  followed  by  the  run.  Then 
the  ff  breaks  out  in  jubilant  energy. 

From  here  onwards  the  second  trumpet  always  plays  the 
lower  D  throughout  the  movement,  except  in  bars  12  and  14 
of  page  24  and  bar  i  of  page  26.  The  same  for  the  second 
horn  with  the  exception  of  bars  4  and  6  on  page  31. 

Page  12,  bars  7  and  9.  The  imperfection  of  the  brass- 
instruments  in  Beethoven's  time  gave  rise  here  to  a  regret- 
table disproportion  of  sound.  Each  of  the  bars  preceding 
the  two  bars  quoted  had  the  benefit  of  the  glorious  trumpet- 
sound,  although  it  was  only  giving  a  chord  of  the  seventh ; 
but  the  chords  containing  the  resolution  were  deprived  of  this 
splendour,  and  consequently  produced  a  smaller  volume  of 
sound  than   the   preceding  chords   of  the  seventh,  which  is 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY.  10 1 

quite  contrary  to  the  musical  conception.  We  are  therefore 
perfectly  justified  here  in  filling  in  the  rests  of  each  bar  in 
the  trumpets  with 


7  n  7 


rr 


In  the  corresponding  passage,  page  25,  bars  7 — lo,  the  trum- 
pets blow  throughout,  because  here  the  natural  notes  fit  in 
with  the  harmonies  of  the  chords. 

Page  15.     It  is  better  not  to  repeat  the  first   movement. 

Page  15,  bar  12.  There  is  too  much  tendency  for  or- 
chestras to  hurry  from  this  point.  The  conductor  must 
guard  against  this. 

Page  16,  bars  14  and  15.  Here  evidently  we  have  a  make- 
shift of  Beethoven's  in  the  instrumentation.  If  we  compare 
these  bars  with  the  two  corresponding  ones  on  page  17 
(bars  I  and  2),  we  see  that  in  the  latter  bars  the  second 
violins  suspend  their  chord-progress,  whereas  this  is  not 
the  case  in  the  two  bars  quoted.  One  might  have  thought 
that  just  from  the  second  passage  onwards,  Beethoven  wish- 
ed this  motion  to  cease.  But  no,  —  he  resumes  it  again 
afterwards  (^ major)  in  just  the  same  way.  Now  I  think 
everyone  will  admit  that  the  second  passage  sounds  more 
characteristic  and  more  powerful  than  the  first,  in  which  the 
quasi  tremolando  of  the  second  violin  by  no  means  produces 
a  good  effect,  because  the  violins  constitute  a  bad  bass  for 
the  wind-chord.  But  the  musical  structure  of  the  piece 
makes  it  quite  clear  that  Beethoven  wished  to  write  this 
chord  of  the  seventh  in  the  original  form,  i.  e.  with  the  bass- 
note  G^  and  not  as  he  has  written  it,  viz.  as  a  Y3  chord 
with  the  bass-note  D.  It  is  also  clear  that  he  entrusted  this 
bass-note  to  the  second  violins  out  of  necessity,  and  helped 
himself  artificially  by  a  continuation  of  the  movement  already 
begun,  for  the  simple  reason  that  he  did  not  possess  this 
root-note  in  the  wind-instruments.    He  needed  the  bassoons 


I02  SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

for  the  D  and  F  of  the  middle  octave  which  he  could  not 
give  to  any  of  the  other  wood-wind,  and  the  ^-horns  did 
not  possess  the  lower  ^  flat  (sound  G).  In  the  second  corre- 
sponding passage  we  see  at  once,  that,  where  the  bass-note 
E  could  be  obtained  on  the  horns,  he  gave  it  to  them,  and 
let  the  violins  stop  playing.  It  does  not  seem  to  me  to 
be  a  sacrilege  here  if  we  reinstate  the  undoubted  original 
intention  of  the  master,  suspend  the  second  violins  in  the 
passage  in  question  thus: 


i 


fe^=lEEE^ 


and  let  the  second  horn,  take  the  lower  ^  flat  throughout 
the  whole  passage  starting  from  the  double  bar  on  page  15. 
Besides  this,  both  horns  and  wood-wind  might  be  doubled 
in  the  four  bars  under  discussion  (page  16,  bars  14  and  15 
and  page  17,  bars  2  and  3).  I  should  advise  the  doubling 
of  the  wood-wind  (if  it  is  possible)  for  the  passage  which 
shortly  follows. 


1^»   .  ^ff    R=^ 


\»' 


i^^a'-l^^-^^^^^^f^^^^^ggg 


«/  sf  Sf 

Page  18,  bar  10  to  page  19,  bar  8.  I  have  succeeded 
in  obtaining  a  very  good  effect  in  this  powerful  gradation 
by  distributing  the  sustained  crescendo  of  the  horns  in  such 
a  way  amongst  the  stringed-instruments,  that  the  volume  of 
sound  in  the  sustained  notes  increased  in  a  quite  special 
degree,  whereas  the  figurations  began  each  time  with  a 
somewhat  diminished  sound,  and  started  the  crescendo  anew. 
Of  course  these  special  Crescendi  on  the  long  notes  must  be 
graduated  among  themselves  in  such  a  way  that  they  are 
weakest  the  first  time  and  strongest  the  third  time.  A 
attempt  at  a  notation  would  be  somewhat  as  follows: 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


103 


Violins 

Violas, 
Violoncellos 

and 
Contrabassoa 


(pin) 


#. 


Page  19,  bars  g— 12.  Here  too  the  second  horn  plays 
the  lower  B  flat.  Then  in  the  last  bar  both  wood-wind  and 
horns,  or  at  any  rate  the  latter,  come  in  doubled  and  remain 
so  until  bar  4  of  page  23.  After  the  /^mfio  of  course  everything 
becomes  single  again.  I  need  not  mention  that  the  entry  of 
the  Z^  minor,  which  is  preceded  by  a.  crcsanr/ooil  two  bars, 
must  be  of  gigantic  force.  The  trumpets  and  kettle-drums 
in  particular  must  play  with  absolutely  elemental  strength. 

Page  21,  bar  4.  After  the  enormous  display  of  power 
in  the  preceding   passage   we   still  have  a  />?//  /  here,  which 


104 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


leads  on  to  the  ff  of  the  returning  original  theme.  It  seems 
therefore  absolutely  necessary  to  obtain  a  diminution  of  the 
sound  beforehand.  The  place  most  adapted  to  this  seems  to 
me  to  be  the  second  half  of  the  13'^  bar  on  page  20.  The 
short  preceding  phrases  of  the  wood-wind  and  string  (from  bar 
10)  must  still  be  played  with  great  energy,  but  the  passage 


may  come  in  poco  meno  /,  which  of  course  does  not  mean 
a  sudden  transition  to  p.  The  following  figure  is  played 
with  a  gradual  crescendo.  The  wood-wind  (whether  doubled 
or  not)  joins  in  at  mf  and  also  plays  crescendo  until  the  ff 
prescribed  in  bar  8  of  page  21. 

Page  22^  bar  2.  The  meeting  of  the  Z? major  and  ^ major 
n  this  bar  —  the  wood-wind  anticipates  the  modulation  to 
a  certain  extent  —  is  a  true  piece  of  Beethoven  daring,  and 
must  not  be  interfered  with  or  explained  away. 

Page  23,  bars  5  and  6.  After  these  fermate  no  pause 
must  be  made  any  more  than  in  bar  18  of  page  9.  I  should 
also  advise  that  the  second  femiata  be  sustained  for  a  some- 
what shorter  time  than  the  first. 

Page  23,  bar  9  to  page  24,  bar  2.  1  have  allowed  myself 
some  freedom  in  the  execution  of  this  wonderful  passage. 
First  of  all  I  added  a  poco  diminuendo  in  the  first  of  the 
bars  mentioned,  and  let  the  Z)  minor  make  its  entry  pp  in 
all  instruments.  Four  bars  later,  whilst  the  wind  were  still 
playing  pp^  I  graduated  the  strings  as  follows: 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY.  105 

In  this  notation  only  a  very  moderate  increase  and  decrease 
of  strength  is  intended.  The  solos  which  follow  in  oboe, 
flute  and  clarinet,  I  had  executed  thus: 


\^^. 


mm^m^m 


ifoco] 

whilst  the  string-chords  were  quite  lightly  sustained.  I  also 
prescribed  a  tranquillo  for  the  whole  passage  starting  from 
the  second  pause,  and  employed  the  eight  bars  from  the 
entry  of  the  kettle-drum  (page  24,  bars  3 — 10)  onwards  for 
a  gradual  acceleration  of  speed  until  the  original  time  was 
reached  at  the  ff. 

Page  24,  bar  14.  The  sudden  change  to  /  is  very  diffi- 
cult here.  It  must  however  on  no  account  be  prepared  or 
facilitated  by  a  diminuendo. 

Page  29,  bars  3  and  following.  In  this  passage,  one  of 
the  most  sublime  in  all  the  nine  symphonies,  there  must 
be  no  acceleration  of  speed,  or  it  acquires  the  character  of 
an  ordinary  stretta.  The  first  time  must  be  maintained 
throughout  to  the  end  of  the  movement.  The  efiect  is 
wonderfully  increased  if  the  cont;abassos,  or  at  any  rate  those 
of  them  which  have  a  C'-string  available,  play  the  lower 
octave  from  here  till  bar  6  of  page  30,  at  which  point  they 
take  the  original  part  thus: 


If  doubled  wood-wind  is  available,  it  might  be  introduced  p 
in  the  last  bar  of  page  29,  support  the  crescendo  powerfully 
until  the  ff  is  reached,  and  then  continue  to  blow  till  the  end. 


100 


SKVENTH  SVMrilONV 


Page  32.  The  time-signature  tells  us  that  this  move- 
ment is  not  to  be  taken  like  the  customary  ad(r<^io  or  an- 
dante. The  metronome-mark  J  =  76,  however,  nearly  gives 
us  a  quick-march,  which  cannot  have  been  the  composer's 
intention  here.     I  have  therefore  adopted  J  =  66. 

My  first  music-master.  Dr.  Wilhelm  Mayer  of  Graz,  had 
found  a  beautiful,  poetic  comparison  for  this  piece.  The 
first  y^  minor-chord  is,  according  to  him,  a  look  into  a  magic 
mirror.  At  first  nothing  can  be  seen;  then  forms  appear, 
approach  us  and  look  at*  us  with  eyes  which  have  seen 
another  world,  then  pass  on  and  disappear  again  —  and 
only  the  dark  surface  of  the  mirror  (the  last  /i  minor-chord) 
remains.  Poetic  interpretations  of  pieces  of  music,  which 
w  general  I  am  not  disposed  to  favour,  are  absolutely  in- 
dividual and  cannot  be  forced  upon  any  one.  But  it  is  often 
of  value  to  learn  what  impressions  are  produced  by  good 
music  on  men  endowed  with  imagination,  and  for  this  reason 
I  have  repeated  what  my  teacher  told  me  of  his. 

Page  32,  bar  4.    This  bar  and  all  others  which  are  marked 

•     •  ,  should  be  played  on  one  bow  and  not  with  up-  and 

down-stroke   or   vice-versa.     It   is    best    in  fact  to  take  each 
respective  pair  of  bars  as  follows: 


V  n 


Page  34,  bar  20  to  page  35,  bar  19.  In  a  performance 
of  this  symphony  at  Mannheim  in  which  he  conducted, 
Richard  Wagner,  in  order  to  bring  the  theme  of  the  wood- 
wind and  horns  into  stronger  relief,  strengthened  it  by  means 
of  the  trumpets.  I  think  this  was  a  mistake.  The  trum- 
pets, advancing,  with  their  fearfully  grave  and  solemn  steps, 
from  the  dominant  to  the  tonic,  supported  all  the  way  by 
the  stately  kettle-drums,  are  so  characteristic  that  I  cannot 
think  they  ought  to  be  sacrificed.     But  even  if  Wagner,  as 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


107 


I  imagine,  had  four  trumpeters  at  his  disposal,  even  then 
the  effect  of  Beethoven's  wonderful  trumpets  is  interfered 
with  if  the  same  instruments  are  fulfilling  two  tasks  at  the 
same  time.  The  two  different  sounds  mutually  destroy  each 
other.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  is  no  danger  of  the  melody 
not  being  distinct  enough  if  the  horns  are  doubled,  and  the 
second  players  play  the  lower  octave  where,  according  to 
the  notation,  they  ought  to  play  in  unison  with  the  first.  Every 
one  will  agree  that  Beethoven  would  certainly  have  written 
the  lower  notes  had  they  been  available  on  his  instruments. 
If  the  wood-wind  can  also  be  doubled,  the  effect  is  con- 
siderably enhanced.  In  the  4^^  and  5^^'  bars  of  page  35  the 
first  flute  naturally  plays  the  higher  octave.  The  second 
trumpet  takes  the  lower  D  throughout  the  passage.  The  second 
horn  also  might  take  the  lower  F  in  the  19^^'  bar  of  page  34. 

Page  36,  bars  i  and  following.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  render  this  melody  sentimental.  It  should  be  played 
in  strict  original  time.  If  the  string-quartett  is  strong,  it  is 
advisable  to  let  them  retard  the  execution  of  the  crescendo  a 
little  more  than  the  solo-players.  The  strings  might  even  play 
quite  pp  in  the  six  last  bars  of  page  36,  and  similarly  the 
bassoons  and  the  horns  as  long  as  they  are  sustaining  the  C. 

Page  37,  last  bar  but  two  and  last  bar.  The  unison  of 
the  trumpets  on  the  two  high  /^'s  sounds  shrill  in  spite  of 
the  pp\  it  is  therefore  better  for  the  second  to  take  the 
lower  F.  In  bar  7  of  page  38  and  bars  5  — 11  of  page 
42  on  the  other  hand,  the  position  of  the  trumpets  with 
regard  to  the  horns  will  prove  to  any  observer  gifted  with 
insight  that  it  would  not  be  advisable  here  to  substitute 
lower  notes  for  the  high  ones.  In  the  12'^  bar  of  page  42 
only,    I    should    recommend    that  the   second   trumpet  play 


^^ 


in  order  to  avoid  the  unnecessary  leap  to  the  low  G. 


I08  SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

Page  42,  bars  2—5.  Even  when  doubled  wood-wind  is 
not  available  here,  it  is  better  to  let  the  second  flute  play 
in  unison  with  the  first,  as  this  part  easily  becomes  too 
weak.     In  the  last  bar  of  the  passage  from 


to  the  13**^  bar  of  this  page,  all  the  wood-wind  can  be 
doubled,  but  I  should  not  recommend  the  doubling  of  the 
horns  in  this  passage. 

As  to  the  shortened  repetition  of  the  secondary  theme  in 
y4  major,  one  can  only  repeat  what  has  already  been  said 
on  the  occasion  of  its  first  appearance. 

Page  43,  bars  18 — 21.  The  strangely  solemn  character 
and  sound  of  these  four  pianissimo-hdixs  seem  to  me  to 
justify  a  very  slight  retardation  of  the  time  here;  the  ori- 
ginal time  can  be  resumed  at  the  ff. 


Page  45,  bars  17  and  following.  A  substitution  of  the 
lower  for  the  higher  D  in  the  second  trumpet  might  possibly 
destroy  the  freshness  of  the  sound  here,  as  both  horns  are 
already  playing  the  lower  octave;  it  is  therefore  better  not 
to  make  any  change  in  spite  of  the  leaps  in  the  second 
trumpet.  On  the  other  hand  there  is  nothing  against  letting 
only  the  first  trumpet  blow  the  three-fold  Z>,  and  not  bring- 
ing in  the  second  till  the  low  G.  I  should  certainly  re- 
commend this  for  the  //««^-repetition  in  bars  12 — 17  of 
page  55. 

Page  46,  bars  9 — 12  and  25 — 28.  It  is  very  important 
for  flutes  and  clarinets  to  play  these  four  bars  pianissimo, 
i.  e.  in  strict  dynamic  contrast  to  the  immediately  preceding 
bars.  This  Scherzo  is  generally  hurried  along  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  poor  blowers  are  continually  out  of  breath, 
and  are  thankful  if  they  can  blurt  out  the  notes  at  all,  in 
which,  as  often  as  not,  they  do  not  succeed.    In  the  mean- 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY.  109 

time  the  //,  like  many  other  things,  is  simply  ignored.  In 
spite  of  the  presto  which  is  prescribed,  the  time  must  not 
be  taken  so  quickly  as  to  render  a  clear  and  faithful  render- 
ing impossible.  The  metronome-mark  (J^  =  132)  is  even 
a  little  too  fast  perhaps.  J^  =  116 — 120  would  give  about 
the  right  speed. 

Page  50.  The  1'  \  i  must  be  taken  in  strict  time  and 
the  A  sustained  in  uniform  ff^  but  the  r>-  during  the  j""^;  j 
justifies  a  transitional  ritardando. 

The  assai  meno  presto  is  marked  J^  =  84,  but  the  speed 
which  this  represents  would  greatly  endanger  an  intelligent 
execution  of  the  carefully  notated  first  bar,  and  the  Trio 
would  resemble  a  galop  rather  than  the  joyous  and  yet 
deeply-moving  song  which  is  here  intended.  The  right  time, 
to  my  mind,  is  just  about  double  as  slow  as  that  of  the 
principal  part  and  might  have  the  metronome-mark  J^  =  60. 
I  need  not  say  that  it  should  be  conducted  in  whole  bars 
and  not  in  three  crotchet-beats. 

Page  52,  bar  21  to  page  53-,  bar  9.  Wood-wind  and 
horns  can  be  doubled. 

Page  54,  bar  9.  There  is  a  real  difficulty  for  the  trum- 
peters here  which  should  not  be  under-rated.  They  have  to 
give  this  bar  in  the  beauty  of  its  strength  after  having  been 
obliged  to  sustain  the  high  6^  at  a  magnificent _^  during  the 
six  preceding  bars.  They  should  therefore  be  exhorted  to 
devote  special  care  to  this  passage,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  conductor  should  guard  against  any  indulgent  relaxation 
or  diminuendo  in  this  bar.  The  following  ^5^  in  the  horns 
is  a  slight  acceyit  on  the  first  note,  but  should  not  be  inter- 
preted as  though  this  note  had  to  be  sharply  enuntiated  and 
only  the  following  one  played  piano,  in  which  case  the 
notation  would  be 


wm 


sf    p 


no  SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

A  slight  relaxation  of  the  time  after  the  double-bar  is 
nevitable,  but  on  no  account  should  a  pause  be  made  be- 
fore the  entry  of  the  Presto. 

Page  54,  bar  22.  It  is  of  great  importance  here,  though 
not  very  easy  to  accomplish,  that  the  piano  should  be  uni- 
formly adhered  to  fram  the  third  crotchet  of  this  bar  to  the 
cresc.  poco  a  poco  on  page  57.  There  is  also  a  tendency, 
owing  to  the  continuance  of  this  same  piano ^  for  orchestras 
to  hurry  in  a  very  detrimental  manner.  For  the  last  bar 
of  page  55  and  the  three  following  bars,  also  for  the  corre- 
sponding passage  on  this  page  and  pages  64  and  65, 
see  what  has  been  said  for  page  46,  bars  9 — 12  and  25  —  28. 
It  seems  unnecessary  to  point  out  each  of  these  passages 
individually,  but  experience  has  taught  me  how  often  it 
happens  that  if  conductor  and  players  do  not  make  every 
eflfort  every  time  to  give  a  good  rendering  of  these  passages, 
they  often  succeed  the  first,  and  perhaps  even  the  second 
time,  but  after  that  they  completely  fail.  In  order  to  render 
clearer  the  diminuendo^  which  should  be  quite  perceptible 
in  these  bars  in  spite  of  their  //  character,  a  /  might  be 
added  for  the  flute  and  oboes  on  the  third  crotchet  of  bar 
II  on  page  56,  since  it  is  evident  that  these  bars  must  be 
played  somewhat  more  emphatically  than  the  preceding  ones 
in  order  to  render  the  diminuendo  possible. 

Page  68,  bars  21  and  22.  A  very  slight  retardation  of 
the  speed,  a  rather  weaker  rendering  of  the  <  ^  than  in 
the  two  preceding  bars  and  a  diminuendo  in  the  string- 
quartett,  seem  to  me  justified  by  the  melodic  character  of 
this  passage;  a  doubly  energetic  rendering  of  the  concluding 
bars  is  also  facilitated  by  this  means.  The  second  trumpet 
should  take  the  lower  D  in  the  last  bar  but  one. 

I  recommend  that  all  repetitions  in  this  movement  should 
be  played,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  the  second  trio  on 
pages  61   and  62,  as  this  has  already  been  repeated. 

The  omission  of  this  repetition  seems  to  me  to  bejusti- 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY.  1 1 1 

fied  on  structural  grounds,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following 
scheme : 

Principal  movement. 
i^'  part  repeated. 
2"^  part  repeated. 
P»  Trio, 
i^^  part,  with  small  v/ritten  variant  (for  the  flutes)  repe- 
ated. 
2"^  part  repeated. 
Principal  movement. 
1^*-  part,  with  small  written  variant  (//),  repeated. 
2"*^  part  not  repeated. 
Il°<i  Trio, 
i^^  part  repeated  as  before. 
2^*^  part  ?2ot  repeated. 
Principal  movement, 
i^'  part  not  repeated. 
2^^  part  ?tot  repeated. 
In  this  way  the    whole   movement  in  its  structure  strives 
towards  greater  conciseness,   and  I  think  this  process  would 
be  arrested  by  another   repetition   in   the  second  trio,  apart 
from   the  fact  that   a   fourfold  unchanged  repetition  even  of 
this  wonderful  theme  decidedly  weakens  its  effect  and  gives 
a  feeling  of  great  length. 

On  the  other  hand  I  think  it  is  regrettable  not  to  re- 
peat the  second  part  of  the  first  principal  movement,  even 
if  only  for  the  sake  of  the  most  surprising  and  affecting 
return  of  the  passage 


^ — I — ^tiJ==l^=¥ 


after  the  A  of  the  i   ^    i  which  has  been  sustained  ff  in  strict 
original  time. 


112  SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

Page  69.  Strangely  enough,  although  I  take  this  Finale 
more  slowly  than  all  the  conductors  I  know,  I  have  always 
had  the  quickness  of  my  time  in  this  piece  remarked  on, 
either  with  blame  or  praise.  I  can  only  explain  this  by  the 
fact  that  my  more  even  time  allows  the  players  to  develope 
a  greater  intensity  of  sound,  and  that  this  naturally  brings 
with  it  greater  clearness  in  the  execution.  It  is  the  im- 
pression of  strength  which  I  give  to  this  movement,  which 
has  been  mistaken  for  the  impression  of  speed.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  this  movement  is  marked  allegro  con  brio^  and  not 
vivace^  or  even  presto^  —  a  fact  which  is  generally  over- 
looked. The  time  must  therefore  on  no  account  be  too 
quick.  The  metronome- mark  J  =  72  is  good  enough  in 
itself,  but  I  should  prefer  to  change  it  to  j  =  138,  as  the 
piece  must  generally  be  conducted  two  crotchets,  and  not 
a  whole  bar,  to  the  beat. 

This  is  one  of  the  strangest  pieces  that  Beethoven  has 
written.  The  themes  in  themselves  are  anything  but  beauti- 
ful, indeed  they  are  almost  insignificant.  Small  variety  in 
the  rhythm,  no  trace  of  polyphony  or  modulation  such  as 
every  composer  can  produce,  and  yet  this  extraordinary 
effect  which  cannot  be  compared  with  that  of  any  other 
piece.  It  is  an  unexampled  bacchanalian  orgy!  —  To  repro- 
duce it  faithfully  is,  in  my  opinion,  one  of  the  greatest  tasks 
of  the  conductor  —  not  indeed  in  its  technical,  but  in  its 
spiritual  bearing.  To  arouse  the  superabundance  of  energy, 
of  strength  and  of  unrestrained  jubilation  in  all  the  players, 
to  sustain  it  and  increase  it  irresistibly  right  to  the  end,  de- 
mands a  degree  of  devotion  and  objectivity,  which  is  both 
physically  and  mentally  extremely  exacting.  And  yet  without 
this  the  piece  would  be  simply  a  succession  of  figures  and 
chords.  No-one  can  conduct  this  piece  without  sacrificing 
a  piece  of  himself.  I  grant  that  this  may  be  said  of  all  true 
music,  but,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  quite  specially  true  of  this 
unique    movement.     And  the  task   must   on  no  account  be 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


113 


lightened,  by  omitting  any  of  the  repetitions.  In  fact  the  small 
repetitions  (pages  69  and  70)  must  each  be  played  twice 
when  the  whole  first  part  is  repeated,  and  not  only  once 
as  in  the  case  of  Menuets  and  Scherzi.  Any  curtailing  of 
the  dimensions  of  this  gigantic  hymn  of  wildest  enthusiasm 
is  bad. 

Although  the  spirit  of  this  piece  can  only  be  grasped  as 
a  whole,  I  give  a  few  hints  as  to  individual  passages. 

Page  69,  last  bar.  The  first  violins  should  play  this  bar 
with  special  emphasis  and  particularly  strong  bow- strokes, 
as  if  it  were  notated  thus: 


The  same  holds  good  for  bar  i  of  page  77. 

Page  70,  bars  11,  12,  19  and  20  and  page  71,  bars  2, 
3,  4,  6  and  7.  The  second  trumpet  takes  the  lower  D  here, 
and  also  in  the  corresponding  passage  on  pages  81  and  82. 
A  glance  at  the  position  of  the  horns  and  of  the  preceding 
G  in  the  trumpets  will  explain  why  in  these  bars, 


I 


^ 


^ 


both   on  page  70  and  page   81,   the  second  trumpet  must 
keep  to  the  higher  D. 

Page  72,  bars  17 — 20.  The  dotted  semi-quaver  in  the 
stringed  instruments,  although  /,  must  be  audible  every 
time  with  the  utmost  rhythmic  clearness,  as  otherwise  the 
effect  would  be 


l^^  \  \^^X- 


&c. 


V  sf        p  sf 

If  the  time  is  too  quick,  however,  it  is  impossible  to  render 
it  audible,  and  the  tenuto  which  characterises  all  the  second 

Weingartner  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  8 


114 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


crotchets  in  these  bars  loses  all  meaning.  In  any  case  it  is 
better,  and  especially  so  in  strongly  resounding-,  socalled 
>'over-acoustic"  spaces,  that  the  time  should  be  somewhat 
retarded  rather  than  hastened.  Very  short,  subtle  move- 
ments of  the  conductor's  baton  are  here  much  to  be  recom- 
mended. The  same  may  be  said  as  to  the  similar  bars  on 
page  73,  and  also  as  to  the  corresponding  passages  on  pages 
83  and  84.  I  think  I  may  take  the  responsibility  of  placing 
a  ^  in  the  second  and  fourth  bars  of  the  passage  quoted 
(page  72)  on  each  second  crotchet  in  the  horns,  as  the  con- 
trast in  sound  to  that  of  each  respective  preceding  bar  be- 
comes too  pronounced  through  the  sudden  cessation  of  all 
brass.     The  horns  can  play 


^E 


ten. 


ten. 


J^==H=EJ 


ten. 


/^ 


in  the  passage  in  question,  and 


ten.  ten.  ten.  ten. 


f       f       f       f 

in  the  corresponding  passage  on  page  73. 

No  attempt  at  an  alteration  must  be  made  here  on  ac- 
count of  the  fact  that  Beethoven,  without  an  evident  reason, 
has  made  the  horns  play  in  octaves  the  first  time  and  in 
unison  the  second  time,  although  the  instrumentation  was 
the  same  in  both  cases.  Nor  does  it  seem  to  me  advisable 
to  make  any  additions  in  the  trumpet  parts,  as  a  correspond- 
ing note  in  the  kettle-drum  would  have  then  to  be  introduced 
to  restore  the  artistic  equilibrium,  and  this  would  weaken 
the  strangely  uncouth  position  which  the  high  E  occupies 
in  this  very  passage.  In  the  corresponding  passages  on 
pages  83  and  84,  where  trumpets  and  kettle-drums  also 
play  all  the  bars,  we  have  a  simple  interchange  of  tonic  and 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


dominant  in  the  main-key,  and  so  the  tonic  relation  is 
different.  The  second  trumpet  there  however  may  take  the 
lower  D  throughout. 

Page  73,  bars  13  and  following.  Here  the  conductor, 
by  means  of  special  marking  if  necessary,  should  see  that 
the  'C7'csceyido  is  not  maäe  for  itself  alone  in  each  group  of 
the  string-quartett,  but  that  one  group  takes  it  from  the 
other,  so  that  these  figurations  right  up  to  the  ff  (page  74, 
bar  4)  are  giv^en  in  one  single,  uniformly  growing  crescendo. 
Frequent  and  careful  rehearsals  are  necessary  here  and  also 
in  the  similar  passage  on  pages  84  and  85. 

Page  74,  bar  13.  The  sudden  cessation  of  the  brass- 
instruments  and  kettle-drums  here  on  account  of  the  limited 
number  of  natural  notes,  is  very  disturbing.  All  the  chords 
are.  marked  jr/ and  it  is  evident  fromi  the  appearance  of  the 
whole  passage  that  they  were  all  intended  to  be  played  with 
the  same  degree  of  strength.  Some  remedy  is  urgently 
needed  here  and  I  have  ventured  to  fill  in  t^e  bar  in 
question  as  follows: 


Trumpets 


Kettle- 
drums 


The  fact  that  the  A  of  the  kettle-drum  produced,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  a  chord  of  the  ninth  which  Beethoven  had  not 
contemplated,  did  not  disturb  me  in  the  least,  as  no  hearer, 
however  musical  he  may  be,  can  possible  distinguish  it.  If 
I  have  been  too  bold,  I  think  it  is  a  lesser  evil  than  either 
to   allow  the   kettle-drum   suddenly    to  cease,   which   would 

8* 


ii6 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 


strike  every  sensitive  ear  disagreably,  or  to  introduce  a  third 
kettle-drum  for  the  sake  of  this  one  note,  which  would  be 
contrary  to  the  style  of  the  piece. 

Page  75,  bars  14 — 17,  then  bars  21  and  22;  page  76, 
bars  I — 6.  The  semibreves,  together  with  the  tied  crotchets 
which  precede  them,  must  be  sustained  with  the  utmost 
strength  so  that  there  is  no  trace  of  a  weakening  diminuendo, 
such  as 


0:^m 


sf 

which  would  be  utterly  wrong.  A  slight  pause  might  even 
be  made  on  these  notes,  but  then  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  dotted  quavers  with  the  semi-quaver  to  be  played 
throughout  at  full  speed,  so  that  the  passage  is  really 
executed  in  time  and  no  general  ritenuto  is  introduced.  The 
fallowing  notation  might  be  adopted: 


ten. 


# 


^m 


^ 


t 


»/ 


&c. 


m 


t 


f 


From  the  7*^  bar  of  page  76,  however,  the  original  time, 
which  is  no  longer  held  back  by  any  considerable  pauses, 
has  already  been  energetically  resumed.  Both  in  this  and 
the  following  bar  the  notes  marked  sf  must  of  course  be 
sustained  in  full  ffj  and  any  premature  diminuendo  must  be 
carefully  avoided. 

Page  77,  bars  10 — 14.  These  notes  sound  very  feeble 
in  comparison  with  the  string-quartett,  even  when  the  wood- 
wind is  doubled.  I  have  given  them  their  full  value  as  far 
as  possible  by  filling  in  the  pauses  in  the  clarinets  with 
the  following  part: 


I 


SEVENTH  SYMPHONY.  nj 


'f=p  7  p  I  r^  y^pih*-^^ 


3=^ 


sf  sf  sf  sf ^  — 

.Page  79,  bar  lo  to  page  8o,  bar  7.  The  expectancy 
which  seems  to  be  expressed  by  this  pianissimo^  just  before 
the  powerful  crescendo  which  prepares  for  the  return  of  the 
main  theme,  must  not  be  weakened  by  too  great  haste. 
The  fir^t  flute  should  especially  be  warned  against  this. 

Page  88,  last  bar  but  one.  After  the  ff  prescribed  from 
bar  8  of  page  85  right  on  to  the  bar  quoted,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  /'s  and  j/"'s  we  find  no  further  directions 
as  to  strength.  Then  here  we  have  sempre  piii  /,  which  is 
followed  by  an  ff  in  the  15^^  bar  of  page  89.  It  is  clear 
then  that  there  must  be  a  diminuendo  somewhere,  if  this 
sempre  piu  f  is  to  bear  any  meaning  to  us.  Wagner  strongly 
objected  to  a  sudden  p  which  his  Dresden  colleague  Reissiger 
introduced  for  the  above  reason.  And  in  fact  a  sudden 
change  to  /  in  the  middle  of  the  passage  does  seem  a  rather 
childish  make-shift.  The  occasional  /'s  in  the  trumpets  and 
kettle-drums  which  we  mentioned  above,  also  seem  to  prove 
that  Beethoven  intended  no  lessening  of  sound  to  take  place. 
And  yet  when  I  played  all  this  long  section  at  a  uniform^, 
I  could  not  avoid  a  certain  feeling  of  emptiness,  and  moreover 
I  could  not  succeed  in  bringing  out  the  sempre  piu  f.  I  de- 
termined therefore  to  follow  my  musical  instinct  and  to  make 
an  actual  innovation^  for  which,  I  must  confess,  I  have  no 
other  grounds  than  the  effect  which  it  produces,  and  the 
immediate  willingness  with  which  every  orchestra  which 
heard  of  my  proceeding,  followed  my  example.  I  had  every- 
thing played  with  the  greatest  energy  until  the  11^^  bar  of 
page  87;  I  then  introduced  a  slow,  very  gradual  diminuendo 
which  became  a  piano  in  bar  10  of  page  88  and  remained 
so  for  a  space  of  five  bars.  This  gave  a  particularly  beau- 
tiful expression  to   the  following   thirds   of  the  wood-wind. 


1 1 8  SEVENTH  SYMPHONY. 

Then  instead  of  the  senipre  pin  f  I  introduced  a  crescendo 
poco  a  poco,  which  increased  continually  with  ever-growing 
strength  until  the  ff  in  bar  15  of  page  89.  Of  course  the 
/'s  prescribed  in  the  trumpets  and  kettle-drums  must  be 
correspondingly  modified,  i.  e.  either  changed  to  dmi.^  p  or 
crescendo  as  the  case  may'  be,  or  simply  omitted  altogether. 

Then  in  the  last  bar  of  page  87  and  the  second  bar  of 
page  88  I  let  the  second  trumpet  take  the  lower  B^  and  in 
the  later  bars  of  the  passage  in  question  the  lower  D  through- 
out. Not  till  the  12^^  bar  of  page  89  is  it  better  to  take 
the  higher  D  again  on  account  of  the   intense   sound-effect. 

I  am  quite  conscious  of  the  danger  of  recommending  an 
innovation  which  is  no  mere  interpretation  of  the  composer's 
mind,  but  an  independent  conception  of  the  interpreter; 
dangerous  because,  according  to  the  saying  that  what  one 
may  do,  another  may  do  likewise,  others  may  easily  feel 
called  upon  to  undertake  similar  changes  in  other  passages 
on  the  strength  of  a  recognised  example.  I  would  there- 
fore call  attention  to  the  extreme  caution  with  which  I 
proceeded,  whenever  I  ventured  on  a  modification  or  altera- 
tion of  the  original,  and  to  the  care  with  which  I  avoided 
in  any  way  interfering  with  Beethoven's  characteristic  style; 
which,  indeed,  every-one  who  has  read  so  far  in  this  book 
must  allow.  I  would  also  point  out  that,  in  all  the  nine 
symphonies,  this  is  the  only  passage  in  which  I  could  pos- 
sibly be  accused  of  acting  arbitrarily,  and  that  the  original 
notation  is  not  only  practically  useless,  but  actually  confusing. 
jf^  scmpre  pin  f  and  then  ff  again  is  senseless.  If  the  piu  f 
is  to  mean  anything,  it  must  be  either  preceded  or  followed 
by  a  diminution  of  strength.  As  the  whole  structure  of  the 
piece  excludes  the  possibility  of  a  diminuendo  after  the  pik  /, 
I  have  tried,  in  the  way  that  seemed  to  me  best,  to  supply 
the  want  before  it,  and  my  manner  of  procedure  has  met 
with  unanimous  approval.  Repeated  performances  have  con- 
vinced me  that  this  whole  part  produces  a  much  more  direct 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY.  I  ig 

effect  when  played  in  the  manner  I  have  indicated,  than 
when  it  is  simply  flogged  through  at  ff^  because  the  grada- 
tion evidently  intended  by  Beethoven  cannot  be  obtained 
under  these  conditions. 

The  doubling  of  the  horns  in  this  passage,  and  also  of 
the  wood-wind  if  possible,  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  It 
starts  right  at  the  beginning  and  ceases  on  page  72,  bar  6. 
The  effect  of  the  long  crescendo  on  page  73  is  particularly 
powerful  if  the  wood-wind  is  reinforced  at  p  in  the  last  bar 
but  two  on  this  page,  and  the  players,  who  are  already 
blowing  fairly  hard,  are  thus  supported  by  means  of  a  renew- 
ed tr^.y^^;^«'^.  The  doubling  comes  to  an  end  in  the  11^^  bar 
of  page  79,  then  begins  again  in  bar  10  of  page  80,  where 
the  reinforcing  instruments  come  in  /  and,  —  during  the 
two  bars  which  precede  the  ff^  —  strengthen  the  already 
existing  crescendo.  It  stops  again  in  bar  6,  page  83.  Then 
in  the  2^^  bar  of  page  85,  the  extra  wood-wind  and  horns 
come  in  p  as  before,  in  order  to  support  the  crescendo  of 
the  other  instruments  with  renewed  energy.  From  this  point 
thie  doubling  proceeds  unbroken  to  the  end,  also  during  the 
dim..,  p  and  cresc.  which  I  have  prescribed  fo*-  pages  87 — 89. 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 

As  this  symphony  is  one  of  Beethoven's  ripest  master- 
pieces, the  instrumentation,  as  may  be  expected,  has  reached 
a  wonderful  degree  of  perfection.  As  far  as  the  sound  is 
concerned,  the  score  leaves  hardly  anything  to  be  desired. 
However  difficult  the  conductor's  task  may  be,  to  reproduce 
the  incomparable  humour  of  this  piece  in  all  its  freedom  and 
perfection,    yet   he    will    find    no    necessity   to    attempt    to 


I20  EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 

render  the  execution  clearer  by  means  of  elaborate  notation; 
or  —  with  the  exception  of  the  familiar  octave-transpositions 
in  the  second  horn  and  second  trumpet  —  to  undertake 
any  alterations  in  the  text.  I  have  therefore  a  very  limited 
number  of  suggestions  to  make  in  regard  to  this  symphony. 

Page  3.  The  metronome -mark  J^  =  69  is  too  quick. 
I  have  adopted  I  =  about  56,  or  better  still  J=  160,  as 
a  beat  in  three  crotchets,  not  in  whole  bars,  forms  the 
ground-work  of  the  piece,  although  one  beat  will  often  suffice 
for  one  bar. 

Page  3,  bars  i — 3.  I  have  noticed  in  many  concert-halls 
that  the  theme  in  the  violins  -is  not  distinct  enough  here. 
In  such  cases  I  adopted  the  following  notation  for  all  the 
wind  and  the  kettle-drums: 


It  is  advisable  to  adopt  this,  unless  the  string-quartett  is 
very  strong. 

Page  3,  bars  5  —  8.  The  detestable  habit  of  playing  these 
bars  suddenly  much  more  slowly,  and  bringing  in  the  first 
time  again  in  bar  9,  must  be  rejected,  although  it  was  fa- 
voured by  Billow  in  weak  moments. 

Page  5,  bars  13  and  14.  The  execution  is  facilitated  if 
the  bassoon  gently  emphasizes  the  two  notes 


^0 


the  G  perhaps  a  little  more  than  the  A. 

Page  6,  bars  2  and  10.  The  ritard.  should  be  made  only 
in  this  bar,  not  before.  The  flow  of  the  melody  also  de- 
mands a  very  fine  and  gentle  retardation  of  the  speed,  but 
not  a  sentimental  ritenuto. 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 


121 


Page  6,  last  bar  and  page  7,  bars  3,  4,  5  and  7.  The 
second  horn,  and  in  the  last  bar  the  second  trumpet  also, 
takes  the  lower  D. 

It  is  very  important  that  the  sf  should  be  executed  only 
very  moderately  at  first  and  then  gradually  increased  to  the 
^,  so  that  the  crescendo  starting  from  the  last  bar  but  two 
on  page  6  may  be  preserved.  See  also  page  18,  bars  12 
and  following. 

Page  7,  bars  11  — 17.  These  bars  must  remain/  through- 
out. The  sudden  entry  of  the  ff  which  follows  must  not  be 
prepared    by  any  crescendo.     See   also   page  19,  bars   3 — 9. 

Page  8,  bars  8  and  10.  Second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
take  the  lower  D. 

Pages,  bars  11 — 14.  These,  and  the  four  similar  bars 
later  on,  must  be  played  straight  off  with  strong  ff  without 
an  attempt  at  rhythmic  marking.  I  only  mention  this  because 
I  once  found  the  following  meaningless  notation: 


Page  10,  bars  13 — 16.  In  order  to  render  the  wood- 
wind distinctly  audible,  it  is  advisable  to  perform  the  cre- 
scendo in  the  string-quartett  very  moderately.  In  view  of 
the  fact  that  the  wood-wind  remains  dolce  throughout,  there 
is  no  harm  at  all  in  giving  the  following  fortissimo-Qniiy  in 
A  major  a  certain  character  of  suddenness,  which  corresponds 
to  the  previous  fortissimo-tDtn^s. 

Page  15,  bars  i — 8.  The  theme  in  the  bassi  and  bassoons 
cannot  always  be  heard  distinctly  here.     An  alteration  which 


122 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 


I  have  often  heard  made,  and  have  sometimes  made  myself, 
is  to  support  the  first  and  second  bars  by  means  of  four 
kettle-drums  thus: 


but  I  admit  that  it  is  a  very  rough  and  ready  proceeding. 
As  a  true  understanding  of  the  theme  is  what  we  have  to 
aim  at  in  this  passage,  there  is  really  no  other  choice  but 
to  let  only  the  violoncellos,  basses  and  bassoons  play  with 
their  full  strength,  and  to  adopt  the  following  notation  for 
all  the  other  instruments: 


I  cannot  resist  the  exhortation  here  to  impress  continu- 
ally on  the  players  in  the  orchestra  the  great  difference 
between  /  and  ff^  and  the  error  of  producing  a  maximum 
of  sound  where  only /is  prescribed,  and  thus  rendering  im- 
possible any  further  gradation  to  ^,  or,'  as  the  case  may  be, 
to  fff.  It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  same  holds 
good  with  regard  to  p  and  //,  and  yet  how  often  is  this 
point  disregarded. 

Page  15,  bars  12  and  13.  Both  the/  of  the  wood-wind 
in  the  first  bar,  and  the  /.  of  the  string  in  the  second,  have 
to  come  in  suddenly  without  any  preparatory  crescendo  or 
diminuendo.  It  i«  more  difficult  to  give  this  passage  quite 
correctly  than  appears  at  first  sight. 

Page  17,  bars  9  and  10.  Here  too  clarintt  and  bassoon 
may  emphasize  the  two  notes 


§E 


^ 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 


123 


in  the  manner  I  have  indicated  for  the  G  and  A  of  the 
bassoon  on  page  5. 

Page  17,  bar  16  and  page  18,  bar  3.  See  page  6,  bars  2 
and  10. 

Page  18,  bars  12 — 15.  The  second  horn  plays  the  lower 
octave  here,  and  also  the  lower  E. 

Page  20,  bar  12.  No  increase  of  speed  should  be  allowed, 
either  during  the  following  /^iano-passage  with  the  wonderful 
clarinet  solo,  or  during  the  crescendo  which  precedes  the  ff,. 

Page  22^  bar  9.  The  three  chords  marked  -^  should  be 
given  in  free  and  somewhat  broader  time ;  the  last  fermata 
should  not  be  held  on  too  long  and  should  be  sharply  taken 
off.     Then  it  is  resumed  again  after  a  short  pause. 

Page  24,  bar  14.  The  diminuendo  which  begins  here  will 
justify  a  slight  holding-back  of  the  time.  But  the  two  last 
bars  of  this  movement  must  without  fail  be  played  in  original 
time  again. 


As  to  the  execution  of  the  Allegretto  scherzando,  there 
is  really  nothing  to  be  said.  This  movement  cannot  fail  to 
produce  a  rare  effect  if  it  is  played  in  correct  time  (^="88 
gives  an  excellent  speed),  without  any  attempt  at  artificial 
adornments,  with  a  careful  observance  of  the  directions,  and 
with  a  light  and  graceful  execution. 


Page  32.  Wagner's  condemnation  of  undue  hurtying  in 
this  movement  is  so  well  known,  that  I  need  hardly  refer  to 
it  here.  I  must  give  an  earnest  warning  however  against 
allowing  the  time  to  get  too  slow,  and  playing  this  lively 
Menuet  like  the  music  at  the  entry  of  the  giants  in  the 
"Rheingold".  The  metronome-mark  J:^i26  seems  to  me 
too  fast.     I  prefer  J=  108. 


124 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 


Although  the  notation 


67    •0-,-  •*■ 


is  clear  enough,  yet  conductors  often  overlook  the  fact  that 
the  up-beat  is  to  be  played,  powerfully  it  is  true,  but  zvitliout 
the  characteristic  sf  of  the  later  crotchet-beats.  The  hearer 
must  reahse  clearly  that  this  is  an  up-bert,  and  not  a  prelimi- 
ary  crotchet-beat.  If  the  first  F  is  played  sf  like  the  follow- 
ing ones,  the  feeHng  of  the  first  crotchet-beat  is  produced 
too  soon,  and  an  error  of  rhythmic  feeling  is  allowed. 

Page  34,  bar  3.  The  obstinate  clashing  of  the  tonic  in 
the  wood-wind  (third  crotchet)  with  the  dominant  in  horns 
and  trumpets  cannot  be  given  with  sufficient  distinctness. 
Strangely  enough,  I  have  heard  the  view  expressed  that  we 
have  a  misprint  here. 


Page  37.  The  metronome-mark  '^  —  84  gives  an  impos- 
sibly quick  time.     I  have  adopted  ^' =  132. 

Page  38,  bar  7.  In  order  to  give  this  fantastic,  half- 
humorous  and  half-gloomy  (^-sharp  with  the  force  required, 
a  very  slight  retardation  starting  from  the  ppp  will  be  found 
necessary.  Violins  and  violas  must  have  time  after  C  in  the 
second  beat,  to  raise  their  bow  and  to  come  down  with  all 
their  weight  upon  the  (T-sharp.  This  (T-sharp  is  then  sustained 
a  little  beyond  its  time  (quasi  temito)^  and  the  original  time 
is  resumed  in  the  second  half  of  the  following  bar.  Here, 
as  in  all  such  cases,  there  is  no  question  of  a  real  change 
in  the  time;  it  is  merely  a  slight  modification,  which  indeed 
only  produces  the  desired  eft'ect  if  it  is  slight. 

Page  38,  the  two  last  bars.     The  passage 


I 


£^=si3gf; 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY.  1 25 

if  played  an  octave  higher,  'as  is  sometimes  üone,  sounds  too 
ordinary,  so  it  is  better  to  leave  it  unchanged.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  the  corresponding  passage,  page  48. 

Page  40.  If  we  allow  the  brass-instruments  to  take  the 
lower  D  here,  we  get  false  basses  in  the  second  horn  from 
bar  5  to  bar  10.  The  comparison  with  the  same  chord- 
succession  in  the  stringed-instruments  shows  us  that  the  lower 
part  of  the  harmony  is  entrusted  to  the  bassoons.  The 
higher  D  must  therefore  be  retained.  In  the  10'^  bar  only, 
I  should  advise  that  the  second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
play  thus: 


I 


?^ 


in  order  to  avoid  the  unnecessary  leap  to  the  low  G. 

Page  40,  bars  1 1  and  following.  The  habit  of  playing 
the  second-subject  much  more  slowly  and  turning  this  charm- 
ing melody  into  a  piece  of  languishing  sentimentality,  is  c 
most  objectionable  mannerism.  Unless  the  whole  movement 
has  been  senselessly  hurried,  the  original  time  suffices  for 
both  first  and  second  subject,  and  it  is  quite  unnecessary 
for  the  latter  to  be  cut  off  from  the  whole  by  a  change  in 
the  time. 

Page  42,  last  bar  and  page  43,  bars  i — 3.  The  /  in  the 
violas  and  violins  should  not  be  too  softly  rendered,  other- 
wise the  //  which  shortly  follows,  becomes  impossible.  See 
also  page  53,  bars  8 — 11. 

Page  47,  the  two  last  bars.  See  what  has  been  already 
said  for  the  execution  of  the  C-sharp  and  the  bars  which 
immediately  precede  it. 

Page  52,  bars  10  and  14.  Horns  and  trumpets  take  the 
lower  D  throughout. 

Page  54,  bars  4  and  following.  A  passing  note  of  gravity 
can  be  distinguished  here  through  the  gay  music  of  this  sym- 
phony.    I  could  not  bring  myself  to   maintain  the   original 


126  EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 

time  throughout,  so  I  started  from  the  A  of  the  second 
violins  a  Httle  more  moderately,  then  gradually  returned  in 
the  first  bars  of  page  57  to  the  quicker  original  time,  which 
came  in  possession  of  its  full  rights  in  the  second  half  of 
the  last  bar  but  two  on  this  page  [D  minor). 

On  pages  56  and  57  the  second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
should  always  take  the  lower  D  and  F\  the  second  horn 
should  also  take  the  lower  i:'-sharp  in  the  10'^  bar  of  page  56. 
The  i?,  I  think,  should  not  be  transposed.  In  bar  17  of 
page  58,  the  second  horn  takes  the  lower  D. 

Page  59,  bars  4 — 13.  Although  in  the  first  three  bars 
the  slight  retardation  recommended  for  the  similar,  preceding 
passages  has  a  benefical  effect,  it  would  be  a  mistake  to 
prolong  it  over  the  short  fragments  of  the  original  theme  which 
precede  the  two  following  (T-sharps.  These  should  rather 
be  played  in  full  time,  in  such  a  way  however  as  to  give 
the  players  time  to  raise  their  bows  sufficiently  to  bring  the 
(T-sharps  with  all  their  force.  To  this  end  we  are  justified 
in  placing  a  short  pause  before  each  of  the  (T-sharps,  but 
these  pauses  must  not  last  longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  manipulation  of  the  bows.  Just  as  the  passage  which 
I  discussed  in  the  previous  symphony  was  the  only  one  in 
which  I  have  ventured  upon  an  arbitrary  gradation ,  so  too 
this  passage  in  the  Finale  of  the  eighth  is  the  only  place 
where  I  have  thought  it  necessary  to  introduce  anything  in 
the  nature  of  a  breathing.  Constant  practice  however  must 
reduce  this  interruption  to  a  minimum.  A  notation  of  the 
passage  in  which  I  have  taken  this  liberty  would  present  an 
appearance  something  like  the  following: 


un  pochissimo  ritenuto tenuto 


EIGHTH  SYMPHONY. 


tenuto  a  tempo 


-3 3- 


ES=£B±jp 


7/ 


i 


"ft^     ^     S^^    /v^ 


Page  6o,  bar  8.  This  passage  in  horns^  trumpets  and 
kettle-drums  which  brings  in  the  magnificent  return  of  the 
principal  key,  must  be  executed  with  triumphant  strength. 
To  use  i>sharp  the  leading-note  of  the  first  key  for  a 
modulation  from  /^-sharp  minor  to  /^^-major  by  charming  it 
into  the  tonic  of  the  second  through  an  enharmonic  change, 
is  a  proceeding,  so  concise  and  yet  so  productive  of  result, 
that  none  but  Beethoven  could  have  conceived  it.  Where 
are  all  the  poetical  interpretations  when  compared  with  the 
primitive  force  of  the  music  which  is  displayed  here?  — 

Page  62,  last  bar  but  one  to  page  63,  bar  6.  A  joyful 
light  seems  to  break  forth  in  one's  soul  when  the  rough 
bassos  take  up  the  graceful  second-subject  here.  Where  is 
such  a  trait  of  irresistible  humour  to  be  found  in  later 
music?  The  violoncellos "  and  contrabassos  must  play  this 
beautiful  solo  with  long,  tender  bowing. 

I  might  also  mention  that  the  first  flute  can  take  the 
hig-her  B  flat  instead  of  the 


which  Beethoven  evidently  wrote  for  safety's  sake,  in  the 
following  places:  Page  39,  bars  3  and  11.  (Strange  to  say, 
in  the  similar  passage  on  page  48,  bar  8,  Beethoven  has 
himself  written  the  high  B  flat,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  under- 


128  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

stand  why  he  has  so  anxiously  avoided  it  in  much  more 
important  passages  of  the  ninth  symphony).  Further  in 
page  49,  bar  5;  page  50,  bars  3,  13,  14,  15  and  16;  page  60, 
bars  4,  6,  8,  10  and  11;  page  61,  bars  i — 4.  It  is  not  ad- 
visable, however,  in  similar  passages  to  change  the 

t: 


to  the  higher  C.     Doubling    of   the    wood-wind    should    be 
unconditionally  avoided  throughout  this  symphony. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

Beethoven's  ninth  symphony  is  not  only  the  greatest, 
but  also  the  most  difficult  of  orchestral  compositions.  A 
clear  and  correct,  but  at  the  same  time  sympathetic  and 
powerful  execution  of  this  symphony  belongs  to  the  most 
sublime  tasks  of  the  conductor's  art.  Here  more  than  in 
any  of  his  other  works  Beethoven  found  himself  constantly 
handicapped  by  the  limited  resources  of  the  orchestra,  and 
here  more  than  elsewhere  we  can  see  how  his  deafness 
made  it  difficult  for  him  to  judge  correctly  of  the  different 
sound-efTects.  That  in  spite  of  these  hindrances  he  has 
created  in  the  Adagio  a  perfect  master-piece  of  instrumen- 
tation, only  makes  us  gaze  afresh  in  wondering  admiration 
at  this  unique  genius. 

Wagner  first  recognised  the  necessity  of  an  occasional 
interference  with  the  text  either  by  means  of  markings,  or 
by  the  introduction  of  moderate  changes,  in  those  places 
where  literal  rendering  of  the  piece  would  only  produce  a 
confused  image,  and  would  fail  to  fulfil  the  intention  of  the 
composer   as   clearly  evidenced   by   a    reading   of  the  score. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  I2g 

In  his  essay  "On  a  Rendering  of  Beethoven's  Ninth  Sym- 
phony" (Zum  Vortrag  der  neunten  Symphonie  Beethovens) 
he  makes  various  suggestions,  which,  with  unusual  modesty 
he  lays  before  "seriously-minded  musicians"  in  order  to 
stimulate  careful  thought^  but  not  to  incite  to  imitation. 
I  will  repeat  these  suggestions  of  Wagner's  here  so  far  as 
I  feel  able  to  adopt  them,  referring  to  the  work  mentioned 
above  in  all  that  concerns  their  justification  in  detail. 

I  would  preface  my  remarks  on  this  symphony  however 
by  the  statement  that,  not  to  mention  the  requisite  quantity 
and  quality  of  the  vocal  forces,  I  consider  performances  of 
the  ninth  Symphony  with  an  incomplete  string-quartett  to 
be  utterly  inadequate;  further,  that  in  my  opinion,  doubling 
of  the  wood-wind  is  indispensable  even  when  the  string- 
quartett  is  at  its  full  strength,  and  all  the  following  remarks 
on  this'  symphony  are  made  on  that  understanding.  As  to 
whether  the  doubling  of  horns  and  trumpets  (8  horns,  4 
trumpets)  might  be  advisable  Ir.  exceptionally  large  orchestras, 
for  instance  at  musical  fest.va>  in  very  large  halls,  I  do  not 
feel  capable  of  deciding,  as  1  have  never  had  anything  more 
than  a  normal  orchestra  at  my  disposal.  Concert-institutions, 
however,  which  only  have  the  use  of  small  orchestras,  should 
either  not  attempt  this  symphony  at  all,  or  should  shun 
neither  trouble  nor  expense  to  obtain  the  requisite  number 
of  good  players,  and  at  the  same  time  of  course  should  not 
limit  the  number  of  their  rehearsals.  Far  better  to  hear  the 
ninth  Symphony  well  performed  once  every  ten  years,  than 
badly  performed  several  times  every  year. 

I  cannot  forbear  mentioning  here  the  strange  and  unar- 
tistic  proceeding  of  Bülow  in  executing  this  work  twice  suc- 
cessively at  one  and  the  same  concert.  Are  we  concerned 
here  with  a  theoretical  dissertation,  which  can  be  demonstrated 
to  the  audience  over  and  over  again  for  the  sake  of  a  clearer 
comprehension,  or  are  we  seeking  to  feel  and  understand 
the   deep,    intense   heart-outpouring   of  one   of  the  greatest 

Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  9 


I30  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

men  and  masters  who  have  ever  lived,  which  penetrates  all 
the  fibres  of  our  being  and  shakes  us  to  our  very  depths? 
Is  it  possible  for  a  being  also  gifted  with  a  soaring  soul,  to 
experience  the  sensations  of  this  twice  repeated  titanic 
struggle  from  darkness  to  light  and  from  pain  to  joy,  then  to 
cover  the  sunlight  which  is  just  breaking  through  with  stormy 
clouds  again,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  victory  da  capo  immedia- 
tely after?  —  If  Biilovv  was  capable  of  this,  that  is,  if  he 
so  coolly  and  deliberately  undertook  the  task  of  changing 
Beethoven's  gigantic  effort  into  a  simple  problem  for  the 
conductor's  art,  at  all  events  he  might  have  had  more  con- 
sideration for  the  receptive  capacity  of  his  audience,  and 
also  for  the  productive  capacity  of  the  performers.  Numerous 
witnesses  of  this  double  performance  have  told  me  with 
regret,  that  they  were  unable  to  follow  intelligently  the  second 
time,  and  that  the  second  performance  did  not  attain  the 
Same  level  as  the  first.  As  a  matter  of  fact  just  this  falling- 
off  is  the  only  thing  which  speaks  well  for  Biilow  on  this 
occasion.  It  simply  proves  that  he  himself  could  not  sur- 
vive the  ordeal  of  the  ninth  symphony  twice  through,  one 
time  after  another. 

When  I  became  conductor  of  the  Berlin  Symphony-Con- 
certs, for  which  the  public  rehearsals  and  the  performances 
take  place  oh  the  same  day,  after  one  attempt  I  absolutely 
refused  to  conduct  this  work  twice  in  one  day,  even  though 
öYa  hours  elapsed  between  the  end  of  the  first  and  the  be- 
ginning of  the  second  performance.  The  arrangement  was 
therefore  made  that  when  the  ninth  Symphony  was  to  be 
performed,  the  public  rehearsal  should  take  place  two  days 
before  the  concert  itself. 

Page  3.  The  metronome -mark  J  =  88  seems  to  me  a 
trifle  too  quick.  The  character  un  poco  maestoso  would 
be  in  danger  of  being  obliterated,  owing  to  the  semi-quaver 
motion  of  this  movement.  The  time  of  this  delicately  pro- 
portioned piece  of  music  will  bear  many  modifications  and 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  131 

many  gradations,  and  may  possibly  even  reach  J  =  88.  But 
I  should  not  recommend  anything  more  anim.ated  than  j=  76 
for  the  original  time. 

The  very  first  bar  presents  a  difficulty,  inasmuch  as  the 
i)-hbrns  are  very  liable  to  come  in  too  loudly  with  their 
fifths  and  thus  destroy  the  twilight  effect  of  the  beginning. 
The  horn  players  should  be  specially  warned  to  play  these 
two  notes  in  lightest  possible  pp.. 

Page  4,  last  bar  but  i.  A  moderate  retardation  of  the 
time  is  advisable  in  this  bar  to  enable  the  violinists  to  give 
a  precise  and  distinct  break-oft"  at  the  demi-semi-quaver 
rest  and  then  begin  an  energetic  attack  on  the  magnificent 
main  theme.  With  the  same  object  in  view  I  let  the  wind, 
who  are  naturally  out  of  breath  after  the  crescendo^  make  a 
rest  of  a  demi-semi-quaver  beat  before  the  entry  of  the 
theme, 

po     -     CO  rit.       a  tempo 

ni  t 


I 


[cresc.) 


during  which  they  can  take  a  fresh  breath.  I  conducted 
the  second  crotchet  beat  of  this  bar  as  two  quaver  beats 
to  render  my  object  clearer.  The  wood-wind  is  doubled 
for  the  entry  of  the  main  theme,  and  the  doubling  continues 
until  the  first  bar  of  page- 6. 

Page  5,  bars  2  and  3.  The  second  horn  takes  the  lower 
octave  from  the  jE"flat  onwards. 

Page  5,  bars  4 — 6.  The  imposing  effect  of  these  chords 
is  produced  by  sustaining  decisively  the  dotted  quaver-notes, 
not  by  retarding  the  speed. 

Page  5,  bars  7 — 10.  Second  horn  and  second  trumpet 
take  the  lower  F. 


132 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  6,  bars  7  and  8.  The  strange  run  in  the  first  violins 
and  violas  together  with  the  diminuendo  seems  to  me  like 
the  sudden  vanishing  of  a  gigantic,  ghostly  apparition.  It 
is  very  important  that  the  same  breathless  //  as  at  the  be- 
ginning should  be  resumed  immediately  after. 

Page  8,  bar  i.  Here  exactly  the  same  may  be  said  as 
for  page  4,  last  bar  but  one.  Herfe  too  the  wood-wind 
comes  in  doubled  with  the  theme  and  the  doubling  lasts 
until  the  last  bar  but  one  on  page  10. 

Page  8,  bars  i,  2  and  5.  The  second  horn  plays  the 
lower  ^flat,  and  in  bar  2  of  course  the  lower  C. 

Page  8,  bars  4  and  5.  The  fourth  horn  plays  the  six 
notes  starting  from  the  E  an  octave  lower. 

Page  8,  bar  8.     Second  trumpet  takes  the  lower  D. 

Page  9,  bars  3  and  4.  Second  horn  plays  the  lower  /^''s 
and  the  lower  ^flat.  But  I  cannot  make  the  same  recom- 
mendation for  bars  6  and  7.    Beethoven  could  have   written 


^     ;J    1  instead  of  p 


without  hesitation  and  could  have  let  the  higher  notes  come 
in  from  the  F  onwards.  He  seems  to  have  preferred  the 
sharper  sound  of  the  unison.  I  make  this  observation  in 
order  to  point  out  once  again  how  carefully  and  cautiously 
one  should  proceed  in  these  matters. 

Page  10,  bar  3.  The  lower  6^  sharp  on  the  old  bassoons 
was  either  extremely  imperfect  or  altogether  wanting.  (See 
Berlioz,  Instrumentationslehre ^  Edition  Breitkopf  &  Härtel, 
page  100.)  This  explains  the  strange  upward  leap.  The 
lower  C  sharp  should  unquestionably  be  played  here. 

Page  10,  bar  6.  The  fourth  (but  not  the  second)  horn 
plays  the  lower  D. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


133 


Page  II,  bars  3  and  4.  The  entry  of  the  flute  is  no 
simple  doubling  here.  In  view  of  the  preceding  phrase  on 
this  instrument,  which  is  to  a  certain  extent  completed 
by  these  five  notes,  and  also  in  the  interest  of  the  melodic 
leading,  which  I  interpret  thus: 


f  y  I IV 


'■^^ 


(see   also  page  44,   bars  3   and  4)  I  let  the  flute  play  with 
the  following  expression  here: 


^=p^ 


espr.  -==" 

Page  II,  the  four  last  bars.  Heinrich  Porges,  in  his 
report  on  Wagner's  performance  of  the  ninth  symphony  at 
Bayreuth,  emphasizes  the  exhortation  "that  any  forced  accent 
should  be  avoided".  To  this  end  it  is  very  important  that 
both  flute  and  oboe  should  be  reminded  to  adapt  their 
method  of  execution  exactly  to  that  of  the  clarinets  and 
bassoon,  so  that  the  change  of  instruments  may  be  noticed 
as  little  as  possible  and  these  four  bars  may  present  a  melody 
complete  in  itself  to  the  ear  of  the  hearer.  The  =:-'s  should 
be  just  hinted  at.  It  is  perhaps  better  for  only  one  horn 
to  play  from  this  bar  to  the  5*^  bar  of  page  12,  but  if  there 
are  two  they  should  be  reminded  to  play  the  ^flats  in 
lightest  //  and  only  to  increase  to  /  in  the  -='s.  In  the 
5*  bar  of  page  1 1  a  slight  accent  may  be  placed  upon  the 
A.     I  have  ventured  for  this  passage  upon  the  notation 


^ 


^^  ^'" 


setiipre  pp 


134  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

a  nuance  which,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Beethoven  has  himself 
prescribed  in  a  similar  passage,  page  36,  last  bar.  The 
violins  and  the  second  pair  of  horns  might  also  play  quite 
//  and  then  make  a  slight  crescendo^  perhaps  to  p. 

Page  12,  the  four  last  bars.  In  this  passage  I  had  the 
small  vioHn-figures  executed  very  //  and  adopted  the  follow- 
ing expression  for  the  wood-wind, 


at  the  same  time  bringing  the  first  oboe  and  the  second 
clarinet  somewhat  to  the  fore-front. 

Page  13,  the  two  last  bars.  In  order  to  bring  out  the 
crescendo  of  the  clarinets  and  first  flute  which  carry  the  melody 
here,  Wagner  recommends  the  omission  of  the  crescendo  in 
the  violins  and  the  introduction  of  a  general  crescendo  for 
the  quartett  in  the  first  bar  of  page  14  where  piu  crescendo 
is  prescribed. 

Page  14,  bars  3,  4,  7  and  8.  These  four  bars  are  played 
by  the  doubled  wood-wind.  Formerly  I  let  the  trumpets  play 
in  B  flat  here  instead  of  D^  and  allowed  them  also  to  play 
bars  4  and  8.  I  have  since  abandoned  this  mode  of  execu- 
tion, however,  and  mention  this  here  so  that,  if  anyone  should 
hear  the  passage  executed  in  this  manner,  they  should  know 
that  it  does  not  happen  with  my  consent. 

Page  14,  the  last  two  bars.  Violins  and  flutes  should 
not  begin  too  softly  here  [nip\  and  should  pass  over  to  // 
in  the  second  bar  by  means  of  a  r=-.  Wagner  has  already 
pointed  out  emphatically  the  necessity  of  a  thoroughly  rest- 
ful and  uniformly  gentle  execution  of  the  following  fourteen 
bars.  The  crescendo  which  begins  in  the  last  bar  of  page 
16  should  be  supported  by  means  of  a  gentle  ^  ::-  repeated 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


135 


twice  on  the  Cflat  and  G  (crotchet  notes)  in  the  parts  con- 
taining the  melody: 


^^m 


Page   16,  bar  3.     The  fourth  horn  takes  the  lower  F. 

Page  18,  bar  2  to  page  19,  bar  3.  From  the  B  (fourth 
quaver)  onwards  both  flutes  might  be  doubled. 

Page  19,  bar  3  to  page  20,  bar  4.  Wagner  has  made 
particularly  valuable  suggestions  for  the  execution  of  this 
difficult  passage.  It  would  be  puritanical  to  deny  that  his 
alterations,  both  here  and  in  the  similar  passage  which  occurs 
later  on,  without  doing  detriment  to  the  style  in  any  way, 
conduce  to  a  clearness  which  cannot  be  obtained  by  means 
of  a  merely  literal  rendering.  The  alterations  themselves 
in  this  first  passage  are  still  extrernely  moderate.  The 
extent  of  their  scope  is  that  in  the  second  bar  of  the  passage 
in  question  the  oboe  instead  of  playing 


I 


^ 


plays 


m 


^•^F 


^ 


and  in  the  sixth  bar  the  first  flute  instead  of  playing 


The  dynamic   gradations  suggested  by  Wagner  are   of  just 
as  great  importance.    He  introduced  the  following  notation: 


-ß-      -»-m^. 


% 


^^l^^^l 


136 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


I 


^^P^ 


Viol  to  ere  sc. 


molto  cresc. 


This  is  merely  a  continuation  and  an  intelligent  interpretat- 
ion of  the  espressivo  prescribed  by  Beethoven.  I  would 
merely  add  that  the  third  and  fourth  horn-players  should 
mark  the  passage 


■t-^1 

— 4 — sr 

--S- 

-i^ — 

^^ 

4=^ 

-•- 

-n — 

-•- 

which  occurs  three  times  before  the  ff^  each  time  with  //, 
and  that  from  the  second  bar  of  page  19  to  the  last  bar  of 
page  20  the  second  horn  should  take  the  lower  i^'s  and  £'flats. 

In  order  to  obtain  an  expressive  precision  in  the  very 
necessary,  though  moderate  retardation  of  the  time,  which 
Wagner  had  also  suggested,  I  gave  the  quaver  beats  from 
the  third  bar  of  page  19  onwards,  and  only  resumed  the 
two  crotchet  beats  in  the  last  two  bars  of  page  20. 

Page  21.  The  wood-wind  should  come  in  doubled  here, 
and  the  doubling  should  continue  until  the  decresc.  on 
page  22  is  reached. 

Page   22^  bars   3   and  9  and  page  23,  bars  2,  6  and  10. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


37 


These  solemn  notes  in  the  trumpets  should  be  firmly  sustain- 
ed in  spite  of  the  pp  (quasi  tenuto).  The  kettle-drum  strokes 
should  be  soft,  but  somewhat  heavy. 

Page  24,  bars  i — 7.'  In  order  to  bring  out  clearly  the 
melodic,  polyphonic  structure  of  this  passage,  I  have  adop- 
ted the  following  notation  for  the  first  wood-wind  parts: 


ist  Flute 


ist  Oboe 


[St  Clarinet 


ist  Bassoon 


I 


f^fe^ 


i 


1=^ 


^ 


mf 


espr. 


S 


mf 


espr. 


% 


T^ 


>if         espr. 


^=0=j^ 


i 


espr. 


pp. 


^^^^^^s^ 


y  d\;^ 


^ 


Ö 


^ri^i=^. 


^ 


^ 


Vlf 


138 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  26,  bar  2  and  page  28,  bar  4.  Strange  to  say  the 
a  tempo  in  these  bars  is  often  overlooked  and  the  short 
ritard.  is  carried  in  each  case  over  the  two  following  bars. 
It  should  therefore  be  observed  that  the  whole  beauty  of  the 
execution  depends  on  the  a  tempo  coming  in  just  where 
Beethoven  has  prescribed  it,  and  on  the  careful  avoiding  of 
any  sentimentaHty  of  expression.  If  the  quavers  are  held 
on  dotted,  as  they  should  be  in  spite  of  the  return  of  the 
original  time,  we  get  a  kind  of  portamento^  which  might  be 
given  by  the  notation. 


I 


^EE^ 


^^^^ 


# 


which  is  really  only  a  continuation  ot    hat  already  prescribed 
for  the  three  ritard ando-noi^s. 

Page  26,  bar  4  to  page  27,  bar  3.  Second  horn  takes 
the  lower  F  and  E  flat.  The  first  oboe  should  sound  the 
third  bar  of  the  passage  very  expressively  thus: 


5ü^ 


^ 


For  the  first  clarinet  and  first  bassoon  the  following  no- 
tation might  be  adopted: 


i 


Jv4m 


PI 


te- 


7-t    •?    P=^ 


r 


mf    espr. 


■CH 


ruf    ere  sc. 


Page  28,  last  bar  but  one  and  following  bars.  Starting 
from  the  high  G  (fourth  quaver  beat)  the  first  flute  comes 
in  doubled.  From  the  C  onwards  the  bassoons  follow  suit 
and  then  all  the  remaining  wood-wind  instruments  as  they 
make  their  entry.  The  doubling  remains  until  bar  3  of  page 
33.     The   whole  magnificent  fugato  should  be  played  with 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


139 


the  utmost  precision  and  energy,  but  not  two  slowly.  For 
a  metronome-mark  J  =  80 — 84  might  perhaps  be  about  the 
right  one. 

To  render  the  polyphonic  structure  more  distinct,  the 
following  observations  also  are  important. 

Page  30,  bar  6  to  page  31,  bar  i.  After  repeated  trials, 
I  became  convinced  that  the  second  violins,  even  in  a  num- 
erous string-quartett,  could  not  give  the  theme  here  with 
the  incisiveness  which  it  requires.  I  therefore  resolved  to 
bring  in  the  oboes  doubled,  and  prescribed  the  following 
parts  to  fill  the  rests  in  these  instruments, 

^0 


that  immediately  producing   the   effect  which  seems   to  me 
indispensable  here. 

Page  30,  bars  2 — 5.    Horns  may  play  with  the  following 
expression. 

inD 


^fl 


i 


inB 


^ 


^ 


^ 


^ 


nf 


^ 


f 


P=f=T 


The  substitution  of  the  lower  F  and  E  flat  for  the  higher 
is  already  shewn  in  the  quotation. 

Page  31,  bars  2  and  following.  Horns,  trumpets  and 
kettle-drums  play  only  mf  here,  and  the  sfs  may  then  be 
played  correspondingly  somewhat  less  sharply.  In  the  third 
and  fourth  horns  the  mezzoforte  begins  already  on  the  pre- 
ceding up-beat  (octave  G).  The  second  horn  takes  the  lower 
^flats  during  four  bars.  In  the  2°*^  bar  of  page  32,  when 
the  violins  make  their  powerful  leap  from  the  low  D  to  the 


I40 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


high  E^  the  first  and  second  horns  first  come  in  /  on  the 
fourth  quaver-beat  (octave  G)  and  then  trumpets,  kettle-drums 
and  the  second  pair  of  horns  follow  suit  also  with  a  power- 
ful /.  In  the  last  bar  of  page  32  and  the  three  first  bars 
of  page  33,  whilst  violas  and  basses  are  playing  at  full  /, 
the  following  gradations  are  important: 


Wood-wind 


Horns 


Trumpets  and 
Kettle-drums 


ist  Viol. 


2nd  Viol, 


The  5/"'s  and  =^'s  cannot  be  played  strongly  enough;  it  is 
only  by  this  means  that  the  despairing  beauty  of  this  passage 
can  be  properly  brought  out. 

The  piu  p  which  follows  in  the  next  bar  but  one,  has, 
in  view  of  the  later  pp^  probably  the  meaning  of  a  gradual 
diminneyido^  not  of  a  sudden  decrescendo.  The  p  of  the 
second  bassoon  and  the  second  flute  can  then  be  drawn 
into  the  general  dim.^  as  there  is  no  melodic  ground  for 
allowing  these  parts  to  be  more  prominent  than  the  first 
ones. 

Page  34,  bar  4  to  page  35,  bar  4.  The  following  gra- 
dation helps  to  render  the  cantabilc  more  distinct: 


NINTH  SYMPHONY 


141 


ist  Viol,  ist  Ob. 


cantabile 


[poco) 


St  Viol. 


6 


r^f^^f  .rrf^ffif  ^ r#« 


^ 


The  cresc.  is  then  continually  increased  until,  at  the  fifth 
semi-quaver  of  the  last  bar  of  page  35,  it  becomes  an  al- 
most hard  /,  which,  with  extraordinary  swiftness,  vanishes 
again  in  the  three  following  notes  leading  up  to  the  pp. 
The  climbing  of  the  basses  up  to  the  high  A  must  produce 
an  effect  of  distinct  uneasiness. 

Page  36,  bar  5  to  page  37,  bar  4.  A  poco  espressivo 
should  be  introduced,  in  the  first  four  bars  for  clarinet,  oboe 
and  flute,  in  the  following  four  bars  for  violoncellos  and 
contrabassos.  The  phrase  in  the  first  and  second  horns  has 
a  melodic  value ;  it  can  therefore  come  slightly  into  evidence, 
somewhat  thus: 


I 


■Vrs-~T^^' 


poco  espr. 
h  2 


iPP)\ 


?^^  '-^j^d3p 


1^2  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

The  transposing  of  the  D  and  ^^flat  in  the  second  horn 
is  justified,  as  it  obviates  the  unnatural  leap  from  the  low 
G  to  the  high  D.  The  final  quaver-notes  sound  better 
played  in  unison. 

Then  the  little  phrase  in  flute  and  oboe  on  page  37 
(bars  4  and  5)  comes  like  an  answer  to  these  quaver  notes. 
With  a  slight  change  of  accent  it  might  be  played  thus: 


poco 

espr. 

ft 

ifc^ — ^"^ 

■==H,S^ 

•/           ■ 

;;::= 

The  semi-quaver  figures  which  follow  in  the  wood-wind 
begin  /,  just  as  the  violins  in  the  same  bar,  then  make  the 
crescendo  with  the  violins  and  decrease  again  at  the  same 
time.  At  the  first  bar  of  page  38,  the  whole  orchestra 
begins  with  a  //,  which  is  introduced  by  the  short  dim. 
which  precedes  it.  The  second  violins  must  come  gently 
into  rehef  in  bars  i  and  2,  the  first  violins  in  bars  3  and  4, 
flute  and  bassoon  in  bars  5  and  6  and  oboe  and  clarinet  in 
bars  7  and  8.  The  first  three  of  these  groups  return  imme- 
diately to  the  original  //  after  they  have  finished  their 
melodic  phrase;  first  and  second  horn  then  come  in  also 
quite  pp.  The  second  trumpet  takes  the  lower  B  flat  and 
D  throughout. 

With  the  first  bar  of  page  39  begins  a  short  but  power- 
ful crescendo  which  should  on  no  account  be  allowed  to 
acquire  a  character  of  false  pathos  through  a  rite?iuto.  In 
the  4*^*  bar  of  this  page  the  auxiliary  wood-wind  comes  in 
on  the  fifth  semi-quaver.  The  volume  of  sound  must  still 
be  able  to  increase  considerably  in  the  6'^  bar  in  order  to 
unload  itself  in  the  7'^  in  a  crushing  ff. 

Page  39,  bar  7  to  page  43,  last  bar.  This  gigantic 
passage   presents    a    difficult  problem  for  execution.     It    is 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


143 


evident  from  the  notation  that  Beethoven  intended  a  con- 
tinuous fortissimo  of  the  utmost  strength.  But  if  the  passage 
is  played  thus,  the  only  thing  that  can  be  distinctly  heard 
is  the  roll  of  the  kettle-drums,  if  indeed  a  player  of  such 
excellence  can  be  obtained  that  he  can  play  for  36  bars 
without  the  slightest  diminution  of  strength.  If  his  strength 
gives  way  however,  at  any  rate  the  enormous  dynamic  effect 
of  this  passage  is  weakened,  so  much  the  more  as  some  of 
the  other  players  instinctively  fall  off  with  the  kettle-drums, 
whilst  others,  remembering  the  directions  of  the  composer 
and  the  warnings  of  the  conductor,  force  the  notes  in  a  dis- 
agreable  manner,  so  that  the  last  ten  to  fifteen  bars  are  per- 
formed at  a  weak  mezzoforte  interspersed  with  various  shriek- 
ing sounds.  Certainly  that  is  not  what  Beethoven  intended. 
After  various  attempts  to  bring  out  the  catastrophic  meaning 
of  this  passage,  I  at  last  resolved  upon  a  radical  change  in 
the  notation,  acting  upon  my  principle  that  clearness  is  the 
most  important  consideration.  The  new  notation  had  the  effect 
of  rendering  all  the  details  of  the  passage  comprehensible 
without  affecting  the  general  character  of  the  piece,  and  the 
changes  were  effected  without  any  instrumental  alterations 
other  than  the  transposition  of  a  few  octaves.  And  owing 
to  the  great  increase  in  clearness,  I  believe  that  the  hearers 
scarcely  ever  realize  that  whole  groups  of  players  are  often 
playing  mf^  or  even  p.  Indeed  I  think  that  if  both  modes 
of  execution,  the  literally  correct  and  my  own,  were  heard 
immediately  one  after  the  other,  in  the  latter  case  an  im- 
pression of  even  greater  strength  would  be  given  than  in 
the  former.  At  all  events  I  invite  all  conductors  to  try  the 
passage  once  in  the  manner  indicated  here,  and  then  to  pass 
judgment,  not  only  from  the  impression  obtained  at  the 
conducting-desk,  which  is  often  deceptive  on  account  of  the 
nearness  of  the  desk  to  the  orchestra,  but  from  the  im- 
pression produced  on  unprejudiced  musicians  among  the 
audience. 


144 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Wood-wind 
(same  notation  for  all 

Horns  in  D 

(same  notation  for 

.5  flat  Horns) 


Trumpets  in  D 


Kettle-drums 


Violins  and 
Violas 


% 


i^ioloncelios  and       ^^'l     ^  ^ 


Contrabassos 


q1 


Jf 


m 


jsr^ 


ft 


ff 


^^^^^ 


^ 


mf 


■€k. 
mf 


n^^^m 


jt^ 


.ff 


^ 


H 


p^^ 


m 


w 


-ff 


ff 


p^. 


i^^ 


m 


-ff 


ff 


3e 


»/= 


m 


s 


*)  The  notes  marked  by  an   /  are  altered  from  the  original. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


145 


Jf. 


'"if  Jf   ^^f  W     ^=-rnf 


^f 


0.^0 — I r* — *" 

Xfcon  tuttalcbforzaXrP 


Wkingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies. 


146 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


T"V /  f 

Violoncellos  and  Contrabassos  as  in  the  original. 


MNTH  SYMPHONY.  14^ 

One  other  question  I  would  like  to  submit  for  exami- 
nation; it  concerns  the  last  bar  of  page  40.  Is  there  not 
a  mistake  of  Beethoven's  here,  and  should  not  the  last 
demi-semi-quaver  here  be  G,  as  it  is  in  the  preceding  similar 
passages,  and  not  C?  The  thematic  progression  AD  is  cer- 
tainly just  as  important  here  as  before.  It  is  in  fact  actually- 
executed  by  the  flutes  and  the  kettle-drum,  but  it  is  almost 
inaudible  if  the  trumpets,  contrary  to  their  previous  mode 
of  procedure,  remain  on  the  C.  I  have  therefore  no  hesi- 
tation in  correcting  this  demi-semi-quaver  to 


In  the  next  two  bars  (beginning  of  page  44)  comes  at 
last  the  relief  of  a  general  diminuendo^  and  at  the  same  time 
a  moderate  retardation  of  the  original  time,  which  is  already 
somewhat  heavy.  We  have  a  passing  impression  of  peace 
during  bars  2 — 8  of  page  44.  I  should  like  to  insert  a 
tranquillo  here,  and  in  my  opinion  the  bars  ought  to  be 
played  with  a  very  restful,  I  might  almost  say,  smiling  ex- 
pression, without  becoming  sentimental  by  any  crcsceiido  or 
other  such  gradation. 

Page  44,  last  bar  to  page  48,  bar  8.  At  the  beginning 
of  this  section  the  conductor  has  an  opportunity  of  gradually 
animating  the  time  so  that  by  about  the  sixth  bar  of  page 
46  the  original  time,  is  reached  again.  The  execution  of 
the  wood-wind  is  easier  here  (pages  44  and  45)  than  in  the 
analogous  passage  on  page  1 1  (last  four  bars),  on  account 
of  the  simultaneous  transfer  of  the  melody  to  oboe  and 
bassoon.  For  the  notes  to  be  properly  combined  the  flute 
must  play  its  little  phrase  somewhat  more  emphatically  than 
the  oboes,  which  are  rather  prominent  owing  to  the  character 


148 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


of  their  sound.     In   the   latter   parts   I   think  it  is  better  for 
the  two  ^'s  to  be  gently  connected  thus: 


The   notation   for   the  string-quartett   is   the  same  as  in 
the  first  passage: 


EÜ^i^j 


If- 

I  understand  the  crescendo  in  bars  4  and  5  of  page  45 
in  a  fairly  lively  sense,  and  have  taken  the  hberty  of  some- 
what increasing  the 


Pe* 


r' 


in  the  bassos,  and  playing  the  corresponding  chord  in  the 
second  violins  [F  sharp  A)  mf.  (Trumpets  and  kettle-drums 
remain  /.)  At  the  strangely  painful  entry  of  the  Z^ minor 
however,  page  45,  bar  6,  I  placed  pp  every-where  and  in- 
creased the  crescendo  which  follows  only  to  /,  in  order  to 
bring  it  back  to  pp  for  the  quartett  in  bar  2  of  page  46. 
Important  to  my  mind,  too,  was  a  visible  weakening  of  the 
trumpets  and  kettle-drums  for  which  pp  is  prescribed  in 
this  bar,  also  an  alteration  of  the  espress.  prescribed  for  the 
small  phrases  of  the  wood-wind  into 


i=3 


^^ 


For  bars  2 — 5  of  page  46  the  same  gradations  (with 
corresponding  modifications)  hold  good  as  for  the  last  four 
bars  of  page   12. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  14Q 

Pag-e  47,  bars  2  and  3.  Wagner  recommends  here  the 
ornission  of  the  crescendo  (in  string-quartett ,  first  pair  of 
horns,  trumpets  and  kettle-drums)  by  which  means  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  theme  in  the  clarinets  (bar  3)  is  brought 
into  relief.  During  the  next  two  bars  the  clarinets  with  the 
remaining  wind-instruments,  supported  by  the  strings  where 
the  crescendo  comes  in  at  the  upward  figures,  lead  energe- 
tically up  to  the  forte.  In  bars  4  and  6  of  this  page  the 
second  and  fourth  horns  take  the  lower  F. 

Page  48,  bars  i,  2,  5  and  6.  Wood-wind  should  be 
doubled  in  these  bars,  just  as  in  the  similar  passage  on 
page  14. 

Page  48,  bars  7  and  8.  Just  as  the  strings  in  the  corre- 
sponding passage  (the  two  last  bars  of  page  14),  so  here 
the  wind-instruments  should  not  begin  too  softly,  and  should 
pass  over  to  the  pianissimo  which  follows  by  means  of  a 
diminuendo.     The   C  in  the  trumpets   should  be  marked  pp. 

Page  51,  bar  4.  In  the  similar  passage  on  page  17 
(bar  5)  the  minor  changes  to  major.  Here  however  the 
minor  remains.  In  order  to  bring  out  more  clearly  this 
striking  modification  I  placed  an  sf  over  the  first  /^flat  in  the 
violins  and  clarinets  [C],  which  is  such  a  characteristic  note 
for  this  passage,  and  another  over  the  F  in  the  violas  and 
the  iTflat  [F]  in  the  first  horn. 

Page  52,  bar  i  to  page  53,  bar  2.  Just  as  the  flutes 
were  doubled  on  pages  iS  and  19,  so  here  the  oboes  can 
be  doubled  for  their  characteristic  leaps  from  the  fourth 
quaver  of  the  bar  onwards;  the  doubling  is  of  course  re- 
moved at  the  entry  of  the  piano,  page  53,  bar  3. 

Page  53,  bar  3  to  page  54,  bar  4.  For  these  bars  exactly 
the  same  may  be  said  as  for  the  similar  passage,  page  19, 
bar  3  to  page  20,  bar  4.  I  gi\e  in  the  following  quotation 
the  instrumental  changes  made  b}'  Wagner,  which  are  ab- 
solutely essential  for.  the  understanding  of  the  passage.  The 
notes  either  changed  or  introduced  by  Wagner  are  in  large 


I50 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


type,  as    are   also   the   signs   in   the   notation   which  do  not 
occur  in  the  original. 


i=it  Fl. 


2nd  FI 


ist  Oboe 


p  molto  cresc. 


Clarinets  and  bassoons  as  well  as  flutes  and  oboes  are 
furnished  with  ^  ^  and  <  The  pp  in  the  third  and  fourth 
horns  is  introduced  just  as  in  the  preceding  passage.  The 
second  horn  plays  the  lower  notes  throughout,  thus: 


i^^^^^fes 


//-*^ 


ff  V 


If 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


151 


Page  54,  bar  5.  The  wood-wind  comes  in  here  already- 
doubled,  as  the  expression  is  more  intense  than  in  the  previous 
corresponding  passage.  It  is  well  known  that  Beethoven  never 
wrote  above  the  high  A  for  the  violins.  The  meaning  of 
the  violin-passage  in  the  next  bar  which  comes  in  so  charac- 
teristically with  painful  sharpness,  is  however  evidently  as 
follows : 


I 


P=i:- 


^M 


i 


sj 


ff 


I  had  no  hesitation  therefore  in  letting  the  violins  play 
in  the  manner  indicated,  and  placing  the  second  violins  first 
an  octave  higher  and  then  changing  the 


I 


sa 


into 


P 


^ 


? 


in  the  first  bar  of  page  55. 

Page  56,  bars  2  and  following.  The  doubling  'of  the 
wood-wind  comes  to  an  end  here.  The  execution  of  the 
following  magnificent  passage,  in  which  there  is  some  danger 
of  the  most  important  parts  of  the  wood-wind  being  over- 
powered by  the  string,  needs  a  very  careful  notation  which 
I  will  give  in  the  following  quotation.  A  Z>  is  placed  at  the 
most  suitable  place  for  the  doubhng  to  commence  in  the 
parts  to  which  the  melody  is  entrusted. 


152 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


ist  Flute 


ist  Clarinet 


ist  Bassoon 


[St  Violins 


2nd  Violins  *) 


^ 


m 


1^3$ 


i5=2 


^¥=^ 


r— It 


§fe^ 


^ 


^^^m 


^EE3^E5§EE^ 


^=^ 


^ 


fe=^-* 


:^^±^^ 


i^ 


*)  Notation  for  the  violas  the  same. 


espr. 


n 


ß — 1 


p===^ 


^^ 


^^^^m 


1^ 


^E^EEEEE^ 


^p^^^^ii 


espr. 


^^^^^m 


^tt 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


153 


I  §■■  $  I 


fe^^-j+^^ 


It 


7  »  7J; 


li'  7    =tz 


•>   '    7 


^ 


^fej==^ 


7^ 


^=f 


fe 


^   £  t ti; 


>=r 


^ 


P 


^=^ 


^     if 


» 


i<-     *,■ 


I-    >• 


fe^ 


P^3 


i 


|tit,  ,f!jji^^-^i^ 


i 


^^.* 


t 


9^^r^ 


^ 


JH^        -1-^=^ 


:ä± 


"■/ 


* 


^^J^^lE^ 


^-^ T^-^ 


^m 


£ 


PEE3 


P 


154 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


I 


fe 


tap» 


^^ä 


i 


^#^ 


Ö 


Tr.     ?C    hC=|E 


^ 


cresc.*) 


lM^Uk\^vi^  5 


[i|M^-3^J- 


cresc.*) 


P 


cresc.*) 


^m 


j^gs'n 


(t^^  <^  ^  1^ 


^=::| 


=6 


^ 


/JJJi   J 


D 


P 


^^^^ 


J^'-jj^   ^    I  ^^  7J'  hi^j;    {| 


f  tspr. 


Ö 


3U ^ 


"^-        .-..  >  .  t'f 


^^ 


^it^'MH-TT^ 


ffl 


^flpl^ä^  ^  ll  ^ 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


155 


♦)  From  the  beginning  of  the  general  crescendo^  the  prescribed 
are  executed  with  constantly  increasing  energy. 


From  the  6*  bar  of  page  58  the  whole  orchestra  swells 
to  ^  in  a  powerful  gradation,  and  when  the  ff  is  reached 
the  remaining  wood-wind  is  reinforced  just  as  the  second 
clarinet  has  been  already  for  the  three  last  notes.  In  the 
first  bar  of  page  59  the  auxiliary  first  flute  takes  the  B  flat 
and  the  A  in  the  higher  octave. 

In  the  last  bar  of  page  59  the  doubling  of  the  wood-wind 
ceases.  Continuing  his  remarks  on  this  symphony,  Wagner 
says  in  regard  to  this  passage:  "Here  too,  on  account  of  the 
dynamic  disproportion  of  the  instrumental  organisation,  at 
the  return  of  the  similar  passage  in  the  last  bar  of  page  59 
the  first  two  bars  must  be  played  entirely  piano  ^  the  two 
following  with  a  strong  cresendo  by   the  horns,  and  with  a 


156 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


weaker  one  by  the  stringed  instruments  which  should  only 
receive  a  decisive  increase  of  strength  in  the  last  two  bars 
before  the  forte,"" 

Page  60,  bars  6  and  7.  The  second  horn  plays  the 
lower  F, 

Page  61,  bar  4  to  page  62,  bar  2.  An  ideal  execution  of 
this  horn-solo  demands  a  somewhat  more  moderate  speed 
than  that  of  the  preceding  bars,  and  this  must  be  maintained 
if  the  strings,  henceforth  in  a  minor  key,  take  over  the  theme; 
the  crescendo  also  which  follows  this  entry  must  be  given  with 
strong  dynamic  gradation  but  without  increasing  the  speed. 
I  do  not  think  any  bad  effect  is  produced  here,  if  the  wood- 
wind figures  at  the  ff  are  completely  swallowed  up  by  the 
strings,  and  only  become  audible  again  at  the  diminuendo^  in 
fact  I  have  generally  found  that  just  this  reappearance  on 
the  scene  produces  quite  a  magic  effect  on  me. 

Page  61,  bar  3.     The  second  trumpet  takes  the  lower  D. 

Page  63,  bars  3  and  4.  The  second  horn  takes  the  lower 
F  and  D. 

Page  65,  last  bar  and  page  66,  bar  4.  It  need  hardly  be 
mentioned  that  the  ritardandi  refer  only  to  this  half  bar  as 
before.  At  the  second  a  te7npo  the  moderate  original  time 
of  the  beginning  (J  =  76  or  thereabouts)  comes  in  again  and 
remains  till  the  end  of  the  movement  without  further  change. 
The  auxiliary  wood-wind  comes  in  with  the  best  result  at  the 
piii  f  on  page  68.  In  bars  2  and  3  of  page  69  the  second 
horn  plays  the  lower  octave.  A  quasi  ritenuto  pomposo  in 
the  final  bars  seems  to  me  ill  advised.  Shortly,  resolutely  and 
energetically,  the  great  man  speaks  his  last  word:  Rather 
break  than  bend. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY, 


157 


Page  71.  The  metronome- mark  J  =  116  is  extremely 
quick,  but  does  not  render  the  execution  impossible.  It  is 
quite  out  of  the  question,  however,  to  play  the  trio  (page  102) 
at  the  rate  ^  =116,  as  an  attempt  with  the  metronome  will 
soon  prove.  There  must  be  either  a  mistake  or  a  misprint 
here.  ^' =  116  would  be  more  comprehensible,  but,  having 
regard  to  the  beginning,  I  doubt  if  this  either  is  the  right 
mark.  Beethoven  denotes  an  increase  of  speed  by  molto 
vivace  —  stringendo  il  tempo  —  presto^  and  I  therefore  con- 
sider that  the  usual  mode  of  performing  the  trio  at  a  com- 
fortable speed,  is  utterly  false.  It  is  true  it  is  not  always 
played  quite  so  comfortably  as  in  the  opera-house  at  Berlin, 
where,  when  I  took  over  the  concerts,  I  found  the  ''^presto''' 
crossed  out,  and  ^* adagio''^  inserted  in  its  place;  but  even 
Biilow  used  to  take  it  much  more  slowly,  and  Forges  tells 
us  that  Wagner  took  the  presto  to  refer  only  to^he  first 
two  bars,  the  octave  beats,  and  then  recommended  an  "easy- 
comfortable"  (behäbig-behaglich)  time.  But  there  is  no  rea- 
son for  this.  In  Beethoven's  manuscript  we  find  the  original 
notation 


I 


^m 


UJ-\f  r  ir 


&c. 


altered  in  so  far  that  each  pair  of  bars  is  bracketed  together 
with  his  own  hand,  and  the  direction  is  given  to  treat  them 
as  "whole  bars".  Besides  this  we  find  the  word  ^''prestissimo'''' 
distinctly  written  in  pencil  beside  the  presto.  Evidently 
therefore  a  very  quick  time  is  intended,  —  not  such  as  would 


158  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

be  given  by  &?  =  116  however  as  this  passes  the  limits  of 
possibility  altogether. 

If  I  try  again  here  to  put  down  in  words  and  numbers 
that  instinctive  musical  feeling,  which  has  always  been  my 
principal  guide  as  to  the  time  conditions  of  this  trio,  I  come 
to  the  following  result,  which  will  serve  to  supplement  and 
correct  a  former  attempt  of  mine  made  in  the  "Allgemeine 
Musikzeitung"  for  the  year  1901. 

I  began  the  Scherzo  at  about  J  =  108 — 112.  After  the 
stringendo^  I  took  the  Presto  in  such  a  way  that  a  half  bar 
of  this  Presto  corresponded  to  a  whole  bar  of  the  V4  time, 
which  was  already  somewhat  quickened  by  the  stringendo. 
I  conducted  the  first  two  bars  of  the  Presto  in  two  beats  for 
the  sake  of  greater  precision,  so  that  each  beat  was  equal 
in  value  to  the  immediately  preceding  ^/^  bar  (about  J  =138). 
Then,  however,  I  began  marking  each  bar  by  one  beat  only, 
which  would  answer  to  the  metronome-^ark  o  =  80.  But 
by  this  time  a  crotchet  beat  of  this  Presto  was  about  equal 
in  value  to  a  crotchet  beat  of  the  ^/^  time,  just  as  it  was 
taken  at  the  beginning  of  the  movement. 

I  have  taken  up  this  question,  which  seems  to  me  so 
important  for  the  understanding  of  the  movement,  before 
going  on  to  the  elucidation  of  various  smaller  points. 

Page  71,  bar  6.  The  wood-wind  plays  this  bar.  doubled 
but  of  course  immediately  after  becomes  single  again. 

Page  75,  bar  i.  The  doubling  comes  in  again  here  and 
ceases  at  the  seventh  bar  of  page  76. 

Page  77,  bar  9  to  page  79,  bar  i.  For  this  passage  I  give 
the  alterations  suggested  by  Wagner,  but  we  learn  from 
what  both  he  and  Porges  have  written,  that  these  alterations 
have  never  actually  been  tried.  They  are  designed  to  render 
the  theme  with  its  peculiar  characteristics  audible  in  the 
wood-wind  without  having  to  mute  the  string-quartett,  which 
Wagner  had  already  recognised  to  be  a  very  inadequate 
makeshift. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


159 


Oboes  and 
Clarinets 


Bassoons 


Horns  in  D 


Horns  in  ^flat 


\  2 


^f^  iTlT-i-fK  ^  if 


»5^ 


jf 

ä  2 


^[T.i  rir  i  f=F^^ 


f^-^'K  H^^  rl'f  ^  r 


7/ 
k  2 


l=T-i"rTtTT 


i^^öf 


^— — —  ^  •  •  •  i*nis. 


.  ^  2 


Ifr^T^^^n^^  rl'f  I  fl'  r^ 


P^ 


EE3Ete 


fe 


i  rir  i  tftt 


|)t-  ^  r  f  I  r  r  r  U  r-ftf"^ 


^^^ 


Ö 


Eeöe:^^ 


^r  r  r  i'-f=rri'f  f  M'^^ 
(j)  r  f  f  I  f  f  r  I  f  Mf  I  r  rl" 


i6o 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


-)\  f  f  f\U-M4~f  ^^\^--i\\l 


^ 


I 


^0 


it 


^^iM^^ 


g — y 


(g,  ^  r  <tr  |,L^triHftT-rrti 


The  wood-wind  is  of  course  doubled  here.  The  doubling 
stops  at  the  9^^  bar  of  page  79.  Two  bars  before  this  the 
second  horn  takes  the  lower  F. 

Page  80,  bar  5  to  page  81,  bar  2.  The  wood-wind  play? 
doubled  here.  The  second  and  fourth  horns  play  the  lower 
Z?,  F  and  G  tb-oughout. 

Page  81.  I  recommend  the  repetition  of  the  small  first 
part,  but  not  of  the  long  second  part,  nor  the  I  f^i  on  page 
100.  If  the  first  part  is  only  played  once,  the  themes  deve- 
loped here  seem  to  me  to  flit  past  too  quickly  and  to  give 
a  feeling  of  unrest  to  the  whole  movement. 

Page  83,  the  last  five  bars.  The  wood-wind  should  be 
doubled. 

Page  91,  bar  i  to  page  92^  last  bar.  The  wood-wind 
plays  doubled.  In  bars  5  and  9  of  page  91  the  violins  and 
violas  play 


I 


^"f^ 


instead  of 


mm 


i 
m 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


l6l 


and  the  first  flute  takes  the  high  ^flat  both   in  these   bars 
and  in  the  second  bar  of  page  92. 

Page  95,  bar  8  to  page  96,  last  bar.  Still  following 
Wagner's  suggestions,  I  have  altered  this  passage  in  the 
same  way  as  the  previous  one  in  ^'major.  In  the  original 
the  trumpets  are  brought  in  here  in  such  a  way  that,  as 
Wagner  rightly  remarks,  "they  only  hide  the  theme  of  the 
wind-instruments"  He  found  that,  at  a  performance  of  this 
symphony,  he  was  obliged  to  recommend  "a  meaningless 
moderation"  ("charakterlose  Mäßigung")  to  these  instruments. 
In  accordance  with  the  view  already  stated,  viz.  that  if  any 
remedy  of  an  evil  be  attempted,  a  thorough  cure  should  >^e 
aimed  at,  I  resolved  to  follow  Wagner's  instigation  again  .and 
let  the  trumpets  strengthen  the  theme.  The  players  need 
now  no  longer  play  with  meaningless  moderation,  but  with, 
characteristic  strength.  The  wood-wind  is  of  course  doubled 
from  the  entry  of  the  theme  to  the  p  on  page  97.  In  the 
first  bar  of  page  96  the  flutes  play 


^^  instead  of  ^ 


A 


and  in  the  ninth 


instead 


°'i 


•U 


In  the  second  bar  of  page  97   the  first  flute  takes  the 
high  B.     Other  alterations  in  this  passage  are  as  follows. 

Weingartnbr  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  I' 


l62 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Clarinets 


Horns  in  D 


Horns  in  B 


Trumpets 
in  D 


^^I^JU-i+f  I  r  I  h  t 


If 


i  ■!  I  r  ^  PI  <==F  J I  < 


J I  ^  -  ^i_j,j:^^ 


!.i  %\\\A  \A  \ 


^  2 


A>^Tri'f<ff|f.flfii|i|Vr1^ 


J^T?  I  f  >    Pip 


I  1  ^    2^-— 


^=^ 


r^  Mr^  rr  ^'i 


fei 


fif  [If  IJii'u' 


|)  i;'JiJ'  jij'  iij';ii>^J 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


163 


•      •■ 


^^^^m^ 


^^^^^^ 


^ 


^ 


•   ß 


9   # 


# 


rr«^ 


|^tt^i~Ui;a^^ 


■*-* 


t 


:t=t 


ä  2 


^^ 


t=t 


fei 


Hifi^H^ 


P=P 


i        I       I 


^m 


L=^. 


rr 


w 


1=^ bji  j  j^"^^  ;ibi  i^ 


Page  97,  bar  10.  The  second  horn  takes  the  lowpr  F. 
In  the  passage  immediately  following,  the  interval  of  the 
seventh  in  this  instrument  is  characteristic  and  should  be 
retained. 

Page  98,  bar  5  to  page  99,  bar  3.  The  wood-wind  plays 
these  bars  doubled. 

Page  loi,  bar  5.  According  to  Porges,  Wagner  did  not 
sustain  the  fermata  here  but  broke  the  note  off  quite  shortly. 


|64  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

We  have  no  reason  to  doubt  the  trustworthiness  of  this 
assertion,  but  I  fail  to  see  any  reason  for  this  arbitrary  pro- 
ceeding. My  own  method  of  procedure  has  been  to  hold 
on  the  fermata  and  to  go  straight  on  without  introducing 
any  pause  whatsoever. 

Page  1 02.  The  first  two  bars  of  the  Presto  are  played 
by  a  doubled  wood-wind. 

Page  106,  bar  5  to  page  108,  bar  i.  The  execution  of 
the  oboe-solo  is  by  no  means  easy.  Freedom  of  expression 
must  be  combined  with  rhythmical  precision.  If  the  time  is 
too  quick  the  passage  is  not  likely  to  be  well  rendered,  and 
yet  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  time  is  too  slow,  this  tenderly 
hovering,  beautiful  succession  of  notes  becomes  a  mere  study. 
I  have  always*  waited  to  see  first  whether  the  oboe-player 
himself  had  not  sufficient  good  taste  and  skill  to  hit  upon 
the  right  expression,  in  which  case  I  accompanied  rather 
than  conducted  the  passage.  My  work  of  training  only  began 
when  the  performer  proved  himself  to  be  clumsy  and  help 
less.  It  is  very  important  that  the  player  should  manage 
the  breathing  properly  and  have  time  to  take  breath.  Whilst 
the  ties  last  over  eight  notes  a  breath  can  be  taken  after 
each.  Starting  from  the  crescendo  (page  107,  bar  5),  which 
may  be  begun  by  all  the  wind-instruments  on  the  second 
half  of  the  bar,  the  oboist  should  not  breathe  again  until 
immediately  before  the  /,  page  10,  and  he  should  then  take 
the  rest  of  the  phrase  until  the  fp  in  bar  2  of  page  1 08  in 
one  breath.  It  is  very  important  that  he  should  arrange  the 
notes  and  breathing  in  such  a  way  that  he  can  execute  the 
crescendo  with  a  uniform  gradation  up  to  the  very  last  note, 
and  need  not  be  obliged  to  hurry  or  make  a  premature 
dimi7iuendo  on  account  of  lack  of  breath.  A  moment's  inter- 
ruption may  easily  ruin  the  whole  passage. 

Billow  corrected  the  C  of  the  second  bassoon  in  bar  9 
of  page  107,  together  with  the  half  note  to  which  it  is  tied, 
into   B^    but   this    correction    should   be  abandoned  without 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


165 


hesitation.  "Chromatic  pettiness  instead  of  diatonic  grandeur" 
is  what  he  would  probably  have  said,  had  anyone  else  dared 
to  make  this  insipid  correction.  See  his  edition  of  Beet- 
hoven's Sonata  Op.  106,  first  movement,  the  return  of  the 
first  subject. 

Page  109.  From  the  r  7~  onwards,  even  in  the  />,  the 
wood-wind  may  play  doubled,  and  remain  so  until  the  sempre 
pill  p  on  page   112. 

Page  112.  I  should  recommend  that  the  execution  become 
gradually  more  restful  starting  from  the  sempre  pin  p.  At 
this  point  I  always  began  to  conduct  in  two  beats  again.  I 
sustained  the  fermata  for  a  considerable  length  of  time  in 
strictest  //,  did  not  then  wave  it  off  however,  but  allowed 
it  to  be  terminated  suddenly,  and  with  almost  savage  force, 
by  the  return  of  the  main  theme.  I  have  never  performed 
this  passage  without  observing  a  movement  in  the  audience 
which  culminated  in  a  spontaneous  burst  of  applause  fortunately 
of  short  duration.  If  the  fermata  is  waved  off  the  effect  of 
this  return  is  far  less  "dämonisch". 

Wagner,  as  Porges  tells  us,  took  the  repetition  of  the 
chief  movement  at  a  somewhat  quicker  speed  than  the  mo- 
vement itself  and  I  have  adopted  this  method  of  execution 
with  full  conviction.  For  the  rest,  the  repetition  corresponds 
in  all  points  to  the  principal  part  itself. 

I  consider  that  a  quite  small  fermata  on  the  general- 
rest  in  the  last  bar  but  four  of  page  143  is  indispensable. 
The  last  three  bars  are  played  with  the  greatest  energy  (the 
wood-wind  doubled),  and  as  quickly  as  a  clear  and,  at  the 
same  time,  powerful  execution  will  allow. 


Page  144.  This  finest  and  deepest  of  all  slow  symphonic 
movements  is  superscribed  adagio  molto  e  cantabile.  The 
metronome-mark  1  =  60  is  too  quick;  j  =  63  also  seems 
too  quick  for  the  andante  moderato  which  follows.     But  one 


,66  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

thing  seems  to  me  clear  from  this  notation,  namely,  that 
Beethoven  intended  only  a  gentle  increase  of  speed  in  the 
3/4  time.  Wagner  says  somewhere  that  he  was  perhaps  the 
first  conductor  to  take  the  beginning  of  this  movement  really 
adagio^  and  thus  succeed  in  ■  emphasizing  the  difference  be- 
tween adagio  and  andante.  This  announcement  was  enough 
to  make  conductors  of  the  younger  school  introduce  the 
dragging  Parsifal-time  into  this  Andante,  to  take  the  be- 
ginning so  slowly  that  the  melody  became  quite  unintelli- 
gible, but  to  play  the  andante  moderato  quasi  allegretto  in 
order  to  preserve  the  "difference".  I  have  elsewhere  put  a 
distinct  veto  on  all  such  exaggerations  and  need  only  mention 
here  that  I  consider  j=  48 — 50  to  be  about  the  right  me- 
tronome-mark for  the  beginning,  to  which  j  =  54—56  cor- 
responds as  a  gentle  increase  for  the  Andante. 

The  treatment  of  the  orchestra  is  so  wonderful  in  this 
movement,  and  the  use  of  the  horns,  which  is  not  generally 
Beethoven's  strongest  point,  so  magnificent,  that  I  almost 
shrink  from  adding  anything  whatsoever  to  the  notation.  I 
only  do  it  with  the  express  request,  that  any  alteration  which 
I  have  introduced  may  be  executed  with  the  utmost  care  and 
caution. 

Page  147  last  bar  to  page  148,  last  bar.  The  part  in 
the  first  violins,  which  hovers  over  the  principal  melody  in 
such  a  divinely  restful  manner,  must  be  executed  even  more 
tenderly  than  the  melody  itself.  The  crescendi  which  occur 
in  this  part  must  therefore  be  correspondingly  less  distinct 
than  in  the  melody.  Porges  tells  us  that  Wagner  did  not 
sustain  the  fermata  on  the  ^flat  at  the  end  of  the  whole 
passage.  This  seems  to  me  to  be  going  too  far,  although 
I  think  a  slight  retardation  of  the  time  before  the  fermata^ 
perhaps  in  the  last  two  bars,  is  quite  justifiable. 

Page  149.  The  variation  of  the  main  theme  which  be- 
gins here  should  be  conducted  in  quaver  beats  at  the  be- 
ginning, and  in  some  cases  later  on  also.     I  should  therefore 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


167 


propose  J^  =  84 — 88  as  metronome-mark.  I  now  give  some 
suggestions  as  to  notation  for  the  first  violins  which  I  have 
recommended  to  my  own  players,  but  destined,  as  I  have 
said  before,  only  for  really  skilled  performances. 

.   Page  149,  bar  3 


i^flp  ^'  *^^m 


Page  150,  bars  2  and  3 


Page  151,  bar  i 


rg^^EJlj 


Page  152,  bar  i 


¥^^m^^ 


Page  152,  last  bar  and  page  153,  first  bar.  Here  too  a 
slight  holding  back  of  the  time  during  these  two  bars,  and 
especially  just  before  the  wonderful  modulation  into  6^ major 
(last  crotchet-beat),  may  be  recommended.  If  the  first  cla- 
rinet be  a  player  of  musical  talent  and  artistic  feeling  he 
will  graduate  the  last  bar  before  the  ^l^tAm^  thus: 


i68 


NINTH  SYMPHONY, 


and  he  will  thus  be  able  to  introduce  the  new  theme. 

Page  153,  bar  2  to  page  155,  last  bar.  I  should  recom- 
mend a  //  for  the  violins  and  violas  throughout  this  passage, 
and  the  omission  of  the  crescendo  everywhere.  These  pure 
phrases  are  so  full  of  expression  that  they  are  quite  sufficient 
in  themselves  without  extraneous  aid,  whereas  the  crescendi 
tend  to  destroy  the  effect  of  the  principal  melody  in  the 
wind-instruments,  especially  if  they  are  executed  with  a  little 
too  much  energy.  In  the  third  and  fourth  bars  the  flute, 
which  is  written  unmelodically  with  good  reason,  might  both 
become  less  prominent  and  at  the  same  time  bring  out  with 
greater  expression  the  part  which  passes  so  beautifully  into 
the  melodic  leading,  by  means  of  the  following  gradation: 


The  same  method  of  procedure  holds  good  for  bars  5  and 
6  of  page  154,  where  the  four  quaver-notes  C  and  the  B 
in  the  flute  should  also  be  played  //,  so  as  not  to  take  the 
attention  away  from  the  melody  which  is  here  suddenly  en- 
trusted to  the  first  oboe  alone. 

Page  155,  bars  4  and  following.  I  think  we  may  take 
the  time  just  a  very  little  quicker  here  than  at  the  beginning 
of  the  movement.  The  justification  for  this  change  lies  in 
the  absence  of  the  "molto"  after  the  word  '-adagio",  and  in 
the  transparent  character  of  this  whole  passage,  which  is 
rendered  particularly  lucid  through  the  employment .  of  the 
pizzicati^  especially  where  these  pass  over  into  the  triplets. 
At  the   same  time   there   must  be  a  slackening  of  the  time 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  1 69 

compared  with  the  previous  ^4  time.  The  waves  of  sensation 
are  so  delicate  here  that  they  can  scarcely  be  expressed  in 
words. 

In  this  whole  symphony  Beethoven  has  made  use  of  the 
stopped  note 

for  the  horns  more  frequently  than  in  any  of  his  earlier 
orchestral  works.  But  here  the  free  and  constantly  repeated 
use  of  several  stopped  notes  is  especially  striking.  I  think 
we  see  here  an  influence  of  the  wonderfully  skilful  treatment 
of  the  natural  horns  in  Weber's  "Freischütz",  which  Beethoven 
knew  and  esteemed  very  highly.  But  in  any  case  it  is 
strange  that  he  should  have  entrusted  this  extremely  difficult 
and  carefully  worked-out  solo  just  to  the  fourth  horn.  I 
admit  that  in  the  Kaim-orchestra  at  München  I  once  had  a 
fourth  horn-player  —  Herr  Stange  — ,  who  gave  this  passage 
excellently,  but  he  was  certainly  an  exception.  As  a  general 
rule  it  will  be  safer  to  assign  the  passage  which  follows,  from 

the  entry  of  the  (L  onwards,  to  the  third  or  first  horn-player 

according  to  their  respective  merit. 

I  should  recommend  a  very  tender  execution  of  the  follow- 
ing gradation  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  more  animated 
rendering. 


*)  This  slur  to  the  previous  G  is  evidently  wanting. 
**)  This  ^c    =:^  is    made   by   both    clarinets,    ;7ot  however  by  the  fiute 
and  the  horn. 

The  cadence  in  bar  3  of  page  157  is  executed  as  rest- 
fully  as  possible,  quasi  portamento.  If  the  player's  breath 
will  not  hold  out  for  the  whole  passage,  he  may  take  a 
breath,  as  imperceptibly  as  possible,  after  the  first  high  A  flat. 


lyo 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


In  the  bar  before  the  entry  of  the  ''/g  time  a  very 
moderate  ritenuto  may  be  introduced  in  order  to  complete  the 
crescendo.  I  have  marked  the  last  crotchet  (5 flat  major)  /, 
but  the  ^^pdolce''  prescribed  on  the  first  crotchet  of  the  next  bar 
must  follow  immediately  without  any  preparatory  diminuendo. 

In  view  of  the  lo  stesso  tempo  and  the  stirring  element  in 
the  violin  figurations,  I  decided  not  to  return  once  for  all  to 
the  very  slow  original  time,  but  to  take  the  whole  long 
variation  at  a  somewhat  more  running  speed,  not  losing  sight 
however  of  its  ad  agio- char  diCter  when  compared  with  the 
principal  time.  It  should  be  specially  noted  also  that  the 
melody  lies  almost  continuously  in  the  wind-instruments  and 
that  consequently  the  violin  figurations,  however  finely  they 
must  be  executed,  really  only  form  the  accompaniment,  or 
shall  we  say  the  arabesque,  with  relation  to  the  wind-instru- 
ments which  contain  the  melody.  I  would  not  mention  that 
the  conducting  should  be  done  in  four  and  not  in  twelve 
beats  here,  had  I  not  been  told  of  occasions  on  which  this 
uncalled  for  piece  of  dilettantism  had  really  occurred. 

A  few  shades  of  expression  which  I  have  introduced  for 
a  careful  execution  will  be  found  in  the  following  quotations. 

Page  159,  last  bar  to  page   160,  bar  2. 


[St  Fl.  ist  Ob.  ist  Bassoon 


ist  Viol. 


i^^ 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


17 


Page  161,  bars  i  and  2. 


"«  f "  ■'  1^ 


XT         >       >      >       >      <r     >       ^3    c^ — — ^'    -~— ^ 


Page  162,  bar  i.  The  crescendo  in  the  solo-horn,  the 
small  dhninuendo  on  the  G  and  the  following  crescendo  must 
be  given  very  expressively  and  with  true  artistic  freedom. 
The  deep  notes  need  not  be  forced  in  spite  of  the  crescendo. 
The  high  E  which  follows  on  the  low  C  of  the  next  bar 
must  be  begun  p  again. 

Page  162,  bar  2.  The  first  violins  begin  /  again  at  the 
low  G  and  make  a  uniform  gradual  crescendo  up  to  the  be- 
ginning of  the  next  bar  where  the  r=^  comes  in. 

Page  163,  bar  2  to  page  164,  bar  i. 


Wind  and 
Kettle-drums 

ist  Violins 
and  Strings 


»empre  pp 


Page  165,  bars  i  and  2.  The  second  horn  takes  the 
lower  F  just  as  it  did  on  page  167,  bars  2  and  3. 

Page  165,  bar  4.  The  transitional  character  oi  ih^  pizzicato 
in   the    violoncellos   and   contrabassos   justifies    a    somewhat 


172 


NINTH  SYMPHONY 


stronger    entry    of   the    higher    i:flat    which    may    then    be 
gradually  weakened  until  the  F  is  reached. 
Page  165,  bar  5  to  page   167,  bar  i. 


dolce 


ist  Fl. 

[St  Ob 


Page  167,  last  bar  to  page  168,  bar  3.  The  rhythm  in 
the  second  violins  is  to  a  certain  extent  an  echo  of  that  in 
the  trumpets ;  it  should  therefore  be  played  distinctly  in  spite 
of  the  pp. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


173 


Page  168,  last  bar.  The  melodic  swerve  demands  a  short 
ritenuto  on  the  second  half  of  this  bar;  this  is  followed  by 
the  a  tempo  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  bar. 

Page  169,  bar  i  to  page  170,  bar  2. 

dolce 


ist  Fi.   ist  Ob. 

and 

ist  Bassoon 


ist  Violin 


t 


^=t=^ 


P 

dolce 


'm. 


^^i^^^ 


pp 


i^=S^ 


-iS^'-^'- 


fct 


£^ 


pp 


(ist  Bassoon  with  ist  Violin.) 


^ 


S 


p^ 


cresc.  ^--_^ 


w 


g 


#-» 


:E 


^^g^te 


«:   bi   ^ 


3-^     #■ 


^i 


174  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

In  the  first  bar  the  ^flat  horns  join  with  the  first  violins  in 
the  -^  =:►;  in  the  second  they  play  piano  just  like  the  rest  of 
the  string- quartett  for  both  bars.  The  crescendo  beginning 
in  bar  3  must  be  every  gently  and  gradually  executed  by 
all  the  instruments  except  those  which  have  a  special  marking. 

Page  172,  bar  2.  This  descending  violin  figuration  ab- 
solutely demands  a  restful  execution  in  the  most  uniform 
diminuendo.  It  seems  to  me  to  indicate  a  return  to  the  very 
slow  first  time  which  dominates  the  wonderfully  beautiful 
close.  From  the  last  crotchet  of  the  preceding  bar  I  there- 
fore marked  the  quaver-beats,  —  without  really  altering  the 
time,  of  course  —  and  continued  to  do  so  till  the  end,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  passages  which  every  conductor  of 
fine  feeling  will  find  out  for  himself. 

Page  174.  This  beginning  of  the  Finale  is  not  merely 
an  introduction  to  the  last  movement.  It  is  a  wild  distur- 
bance of  the  peaceful,  unworldly  atmosphere  which  pervades 
the  Adagio.  The  eminently  dramatic  character  of  this  be- 
ginning seemed  to  me  never  to  produce  a  truly  crushing 
effect  when  a  long  pause  immediately  followed  the  Adagio; 
this  interrupted  probably  by  applause  and  the  appearance  of 
the  soloists,  or  even  of  the  chorus,  on  the  stage.  After  I 
had  often  conducted  the  ninth  symphony,  and  always  suffered 
under  thig  unfavourable  impression,  I  resolved  to  let  the  Finale 
follow  immediately  upon  the  Adagio.  I  only  made  a  quite 
short  pause  after  the  last  chord  and  guarded  against  any 
movement  of  applause  by  keeping  my  baton  raised;  I  then 
let  the  "Schreckensfanfare"  of  the  Finale,  as  Wagner  truly 
calls  them,  break  forth  with  fearful  force. 

In  order  to  accomplish  this  it  was  necessary  of  course 
for  all  parties  concerned  to  be  ready  in  their  places.  I  can- 
not point  out  too  emphatically  what  a  horrible  effect  is  pro- 
duced when  the  chorus  does  not  come  on  till  after  the  Adagio. 
The  long  pause,  the  sudden  unrest,  the  rushing  to  and  fro 
looking  for  chairs  and  parts,  the  chattering  in  the    audience, 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  1 75 

the  signs  of  the  ladies  whene  they  recognize  a  friend  on  the 
podium  or  in  the  hall,  the  soloists  bowing  and  smiling  in 
answer  to  the  applause,  and  the  two  lady-singers  trying  to 
make  room  for  their  trains;  all  this  together  is  such  an 
unworthy  interruption  of  this  holy  work,  that  I  cannot  under- 
stand the  indifference  with  which  it  has  come  to  be  looked 
on  as  part  of  the  performance  of  the  ninth  symphony,  and 
the  surprise  with  which  any  attempt  to  improve  matters  is 
greeted. 

I  demand  unconditionally  that  the  chorus  should  all  be 
in  their  places  at  the  beginning  of  the  performance  and 
should  wait  quietly  until  they  rise  to  sing.  I  request  the  soloists 
to  do  the  same  but  admit  the  possibility  of  an  exception 
here.  The  solo-passages  in  the  ninth  symphony,  however 
small  they  may  be,  are  very  dangerous  and  not  only  make 
high  demands  on  the  skill  of  the  singers  but  also  require  a 
perfectly  unhampered  control  of  th^  voice.  I  have  come 
across  singers  who  willingly  acceded  to  my  request  that  they 
vould  take  their  places  in  front  of  the  orchestra  before  the 
jeginning  of  the  symphony  simply  in  order  to  hear  the  per- 
fprmance.  Some  have  even  offered  to  do  so.  Others, 
however,  assured  me  that,  although  they  recognized  the 
justness  of  my  request,  they  could  not  fall  in  with  it  because 
their  throats  became  absolutely  dry  after  sitting  for  an  hour 
in  a  hot  room  without  singing.  As  this  was  quite  a  rea- 
sonable objection  I  was  obliged  to  give  way  in  such  cases, 
especially  if  I  noticed  that  the  singers  in  question  were  m 
an  only  too  natural  anxiety  as  to  the  success  of  their  per- 
formance, or  were  perhaps  slightly  indisposed.  Certainly  the 
later  arrival  of  a  singer  is  a  lesser  evil  than  the  failure  of  a 
solo  passage.  But  latterly  I  always  insisted  that  the  soloists 
should  come  in  after  the  Scherzo^  and  not  after  the  Adagio 
which  was  followed  immediately  by  the  Finale.  The  four 
artists  should  be  warned  to  come  in  as  quietly  and  unnotice- 
ably  as  possible,  and  the  ladies  should  be  specially  requested 


176 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


to  leave  behind  in  the  cloak-room  the  large  bouquets  which 
they  generally  receive,  however  beautiful  they  may  be.  If 
it  is  possible  however,  —  and  with  good  will  it  is  generally 
possible  —  it  is  much  better  for  the  soloists  to  be  already 
in  their  places  at  the  beginning  of  the  whole  symphony. 

As  to  the  arrangement  of  the  chorus,  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  the  ninth  symphony  is  essentially  an  orchestral 
composition.  The  effect  of  by  far  the  greatest  part  is  sacri- 
ficed if  the  chorus  is  brought  forward  in  an  overwhelming 
majority  and  the  orchestra  placed  behind  as  in  an  oratorio. 
The  orchestra  must  as  far  as  possible  take  its  accustomed 
place  and  be  surrounded  by  the  chorus  in  a  broad  semi- 
circle. The  podium  must  rise  in  the  form  of  a  terrace.  If 
it  is  very  wide  it  can  be  arranged  thus: 


1 

Tenor 

Bass 

/^ 

Orchestra 

Soprano 

□ 

Alto 

If  however  it  is  long  and  narrow,  so  that  with  the  above 
arrangement  the  greater  part  of  the  orchestra  would  be  push- 
ed too  far  back,  it  is  advisable  to  fill  all  the  front  room 
with  the  violins  and,  if  possible,  with  some  of  the  viola-  and 
violoncello-desks,  and  then  to  let  the  chorus  take  its  place 
behind  on  a  distinctly  raised  platform. 

On  the  narrow  stage  of  the  Berlin  Opera-house,  where 
such  a  platform  could  not  be  obtained  for  architectural 
reasons,  the  last  movement  of  the  ninth  Symphony  never 
produced  its  full  effect. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  j-y 

Wagner  was  conscious  that  the  effect  of  the  two 
"Schreckensfanfaren"  did  not  correspond  to  the  impression 
obtained  on  reading  the  score.  He  tried  to  obviate  this 
by  letting  the  trumpets  play  partly  in  unison  with  the 
figuration  of  the  wood-wind*).  Much  is  gained  by  this  it 
is  *  true,  but  it  still  leaves  something  to  be  desired.  In  the 
first  "Fanfare"  Wagner  leaves  the  original  untouched  from  the 
fifth  bar  onwards.  The  trumpets  and  the  four  horns  tlien 
unite  on  the  D  with  full  force,  but  they  completely  drown 
the  wood-wind  to  which  the  melodically  and  harmonically 
important  notes  are  entrusted,  so  that  these,  even  if  doubled, 
only  give  a  little  chirping  sound  as  against  the  crashing 
brass  notes.  In  the  second  "Fanfare"  (page  175,  bar  6  to 
page  176,  bar  2)  Wagner  lets  the  trumpets  play  in  unison 
melodically  to  the  end,  it  is  true.  As  however  in  the  last 
bars  the  horns  are  silent  except  for  a  few  forlorn  notes,  the 
upper  part  strengthened  by  the  trumpets  is  heard  only,  and 
no  harmony.  Acting  again  on  my  oft  repeated  principle, 
that  an  alteration  is  only  of  use  when  it  is  thorough  and 
goes  to  the  root  of  the  matter,  I  extended  Wagner's  changes 
in  the  trumpet  parts  by  letting  them  accompany  the  melodic 
upper-part  to  the  end  in  the  first  "Fanfare".  Then  I  brought 
the  horns  to  the  support  of  the  harmony,  and  this  gave  the 
true  meaning  to  the  strengthening  of  the  soprano  by  means 
of  the  trumpets. 

I  also  tried  to  prevent  the  infinitely  important,  despairing 
^flat  of  the  first  chord  from  being  too  much  hidden  by  the 
A  of  the  united  hoins  and  trumpets.*  Reasons  of  style 
would  not  allow  me  to  correct  the  G  of  the  trumpets  into 
y4flat,  as  I  consider  this  entry  on  the  dominant  to  be  a 
necessary  counterpart  to  the  later  entry  on  the  tonic  in  the 
second  "Fanfare" ;  I  therefore  solved  the  difficulty  by  letting 


*)  In  Wagner's  Literary  Works,   vol.  IX,  p.   242,    both  passages  are 
incorrectly  quoted,  with  the  omission  of  a  bar  in  each. 

Weingartxer,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  12 


1 78  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

the  clarinets  play  the  beginning  an  octave  higher.  In  the 
same  way  I  succeeded  in  giving  a  sharper  prominence  to 
the  ^flat  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  "Fanfare" ;  in  the 
lower  octave  it  is  already  given  with  sufficient  strength  by 
the  third  horn.  Lastly,  on  analogy  to  the  second  passage 
also,  I  corrected  the  unimportant  harmonic  notes  of  the  first 
flute  into  melodic  notes  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  bars  of  the 
first  passage. 

In  what  follows  I  combine  Wagner's  alterations  and  my 
own,  and  I  ask  all  those  who  consider  it  sacrilege  to  inter- 
fere with  Beethoven's  instrumentation,  whether  it  is  not  allow- 
able, or  indeed  whether  it  is  not  a  duty,  to  assist  in  rendering 
truly  effectual  such  a  powerful  intention  of  the  Master,  when 
it  is  clear  that  the  means  of  thus  producing  the  complete 
effect  were  not  at  his  disposal.  I  think  it  is  unnecessary 
to  add  trombones,  for  instance,  as  Beethoven  was  quite 
free  to  do  so  himself;  but  he  wished  to  reserve  the  effect 
of  these  instruments  for  a  later  passage.  Any  one  who  has 
felt  deeply  the  magnificence  of  the  entry  of  these  instruments 
at  the  passage  "Seid  umschlungen  Millionen",  will  not  wish 
for  their  entry  at  an  earlier  point  in  the  piece. 

The  object  here  then  has  been  to  apply  those  instruments 
which  Beethoven  had  at  his  disposal  to  the  working  out  of 
his  intention,  with  all  the  advantages  which  a  more  advanced 
technique  has  given  us,  but  in  a  way  that  Beethoven  could 
not  do  it  simply  because  of  these  technical  difficulties.  And 
I  ask,  is  it  better  to  hide  the  spirit  of  the  composer  behind 
dead  letters,  or  to  unveil  it  freely  for  the  comprehension  of 
the  hearer? 


First  "Fanfare": 
Bars  5  and  6. 


ist  Flute 


m 


m ,  fe^*^ , 


MNTH  SYMPHONY, 


179 


Bar  I. 


i«t  and  and  Clarinet 

Bars  3—7. 

3rd  and  4th        J^  ^ ^ 

Horn  in  ^flat 


^i 


t 


m 


^^rmp^nm 


~r 


n 


'*«-'      Li 


rr^^i^ 


r^^^^  I J  i  ■ 


rmrr    r   f 


Bars  2 — 7. 


Trumpets 
in 


r| 


hi: 


Wagner 


ii 


g 


I    I    I    I 


IL 


m 


tMIr  rtrfr^g 


i^JJfciJJ^  I  *PQ 


üa 


a 


^ 


r 


Second  "Fanfare"  (reckoned  from  the  6**»-  bar  of  page  175) 
Bar  2. 


and  Oboe  /hb      jt~~t 


W 


la* 


i8o 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Bar  2. 

2°d   Clarinet 

Bars  6 — 9. 


inetp 


:*=* 


Mf= 


g 


ist  and  2nd    Ö     F-^ 
Horn  in  D  ^\~^ 


wimnLm 


rFfr^ 


i.LU 


rt 


T^'-qgijg: 


Bars  6 — 9. 


3rd    and  4th 
Horn  in  ^flat 


Bars  3 — 6. 


jr^imiiT^i.!^^ 


Trumpets  in  D 

(Wagner) 


|=^Tm^fefe 


I     I     I     I     I 


|^_4J:J^it$^'^ii=*^ 


The  wood-wind  is  of  course  doubled  in  both  passages. 
One  contra-bassoon  is  enough.  The  doubling  comes  to  an 
end  at  the  allegro  7na  71071  troppo  on  page   176. 

The  metronome -mark  !  =  06  is  too  fast  for  the  bass- 
recitative,  although  not  for  the  "Fanfares".  Whereas  the 
best  time  for  these  latter  will  be  the  quickest  which  is  com- 
patible with  a  continuous  fortissimo^  the  two  first  recitatives 
must  be  played  with  great  energy,  with  no  false  pathos  and 
in  quick  time,  but  must  come  in  rather  more  moderately 
than  the  "Fanfares".  I  therefore  adopt  the  metronome-mark 
J=  168. 


NINTH  SYMPHOm^ 


l8l 


The  expression  of  this  recitative  must  be  felt;  it  cannot 
be  explained.  I  have  given  up  any  attempt  at  a  notation 
and  procured  the  mode  of  execution  I  desired  partly  by 
singing  it  through  myself,  partly  by  transmitting  my  will  to 
the  players.  I  will  therefore  confine  myself  here  to  a  few 
hints  for  the  execution. 

The  two  first  recitatives  (pages  174—176)  should  be  in 
strict  time  without  any  retardation. 

At  the  entry  of  the  allegro  ma  non  troppo  the  time  of 
the  beginning  of  the  first  movement,  perhaps  J  =  76.  Softest 
pianissimo. 

In  the  third  recitative  (page  177)  I  think  a  conflict  be- 
gins between  the  fearful  impetuosity  of  the  beginning  and 
more  irresolute,  hesitating  emotions.  I  will  try  to  give  my 
impressions. 


§fep 


[passionately] 


^^' 


m^ 


fj 


[former  speed 
[somewhat  slower)        resumed) 


#^^ 


^ 


The  notes  of  the  Scherzo  [Vivace^  page  178)  are  merely 
touched  in  passing.  The  time  must  be  correspondingly  quick, 
and  a  general  p  must  be  observed. 

Wagner  has  indicated  very  beautifully  the  meaning  of  the 
F  C  which  follows  in  the  basses,  by  writing  underneath  the 
two  words  "Nicht  doch!"  —  No  more  retrospect,  no  more 
deceitful  memories!  —  Forward,  with  a  heart  for  any  fate!  ~ 
The  pause  before  Tempo  I.  should  be  quite  short.  The 
noble,  manly  resolution  of  this  recitative  justifies  a  somewhat 


I  82 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


more  restful,  although  still  animated  time.  I  should  say  about 
J  =  144.  The  conductor  must  decide  whether  the  dhninuendo 
at  the  end  should  be  combined  with  a  slight  ritardando. 
Some  notes  of  the  Adagio  are  softly  sounded.  As  it  is  only 
a  short  reminder  which  brings  the  charm  once  again  before 
our  souls,  I  should  recommend  that  the  time  be  slightly  quicker 
here  than  at  the  beginning  of  the  third  movement. 

For  the  following  allegro  I  think  j=  126  gives  the  right 
time.  We  turn  aside,  seeking  a  fresh  path,  as  it  were.  Is 
there  to  be  another  battle?  —  An  increase  of  speed  at  the 
crescendo  and  a  hasty  but  very  energetic  execution  of  the 
notes  marked  ff  produces  a  splendid  effect.  The  horns 
come  in  more  peacefully.  With  a  view  to  the  melodic  and 
not  merely  modulatory  meaning  of  the  second  oboe -part, 
I  have  ventured  on  the  following  mode  of  execution. 


h>  \  \  r^ 


mf 


It  is  better  to  let  the  first  hom  come  in  alone  on  the  D 
and  not  bring  in  the  second  until  the  next  bar. 

Guided  by  the  improvising  character  of  this  whole  part  I 
did  not  give  the  first  appearance  of  the  joy-melody  in  full 
time.  Without  pausing  after  the  preceding  ritenuto  I  began 
the  allegro  assai  on  page  180  somewhat  more  slowly  and 
made  no  increase  in  speed  until  the  third  and  fourth  bars; 
then  I  led  up  to  the  /  which  follows  by  means  of  a  spirited 
crescendo. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


183 


The  Tempo  I.  allegro  should  be  joyously  animated  (per- 
haps J=  132).  The  fifth  bar,  the  rise  to  the  i^  sharp,  should 
be  executed  with  a  very  broad  bowing,  and  sound  like  a  sigh 
of  relief.  If  a  moderate,  but  decided  ritenuto  from  the  G 
(page  181,  bar  i)  onwards  is  justifiable,  the  two  chords  (bar  4) 
should  not  be  played  solemnly,  as  though  they  came  after 
a  church-recitative,  but  joyfully   and   in  smart  Allegro  time. 

After  a  very  short  pause  the  orchestra  proceeds  again. 

I  substituted  '=72  for  the  J  =  80  as  metronome -mark 
for  the  joy-melody.  I  know  there  are  time-beating  school- 
masters who  conduct  in  comfortable  crotchet-beats  here,  but 
I  only  mention  it  as  a  proof  that  there  is  not  a  piece  of  stupi- 
dity in  the  practice  of  any  art  which  is  not  committed  some- 
where. All  the  Crescendi  (page  182,  bars  3  and  11  and 
the  following)  should  be  only  very  moderately  given.  The 
whole  passage  bears  a  character  of  great  tenderness,  espe- 
cially the  coming  in  of  the  violins  on  page  185.  On  page  187 
begins  a  very  warm  crescendo  which  lasts  for  eight  bars,  and 
at  the  jf  all  instruments  (the  wood-wind  doubled)  come  in 
with  exuberant  force.  The  ^flat-horns,  which  rest  in  the 
original,  can  strengthen  the  />-horns  in  the  fourth  crotchet 
beat  of  bar  5,  page  190. 

Sir  Charles  Stanford  has  held  that  from  the  second 
bar  of  page  183  to  the  last  bar  of  page  187  the  second 
bassoon  should  play  with  the  contrabassos.  His  main  proof 
is,  that  a  copy  of  the  work  which  was  sent  to  London  con- 
tained corrections  made  by  Beethoven's  hand,  and  in  this 
copy  was  written  for  the  second  bassoon  a  "col  Basso",  which 
Beethoven  had  not  scratched  out.  But  I  cannot  consider  this 
as  proof  positive.  Beethoven  may  have  overlooked  this  remark. 
A  fact  of  greater  importance,  I  think,  is  that,  according  to 
Dr.  Kopfermann,  librarian  of  the  Royal  Library  at  Berlin,  the 
manuscript,  which  is  very  much  erased  at  this  point,  still 
admits  of  Sir  Charles  Stanford's  interpretation.  As  the  com- 
munications of  Sir  Charles  Stanford  and  Dr.  Kopfermann  only 


1 84  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

reached  me  when  this  book  was  already  in  the  hands  of  the 
printers,  it  was  too  late  for  me  to  examine  the  manuscript 
in  Berlin  myself.  My  chief  argument  against  Sir  Charles 
Stanford  is  that,  from  an  aesthetic  point  of  view,  the  splendid 
freedom  of  this  bassoon-solo  will  be  spoiled ,  if  a  similar 
instrument  takes  the  lower  part  at  the  same  time.  Possibly 
Beethoven  originally  had  the  intention  of  letting  the  second 
bassoon  play  col  Basso^  and  then  abandoned  the  idea,  but 
not  so  clearly  as  might  be  desired.  His  bad  manuscript  would 
justify  this  supposition.  In  any  case  this  question  deserves 
careful  consideration  and  it  might  be  tested  practically  on 
the  orchestra. 

Page  191,  last  bar  to  page  193,  bar  i.  This  passage 
cannot  be  clearly  rendered  without  doubled  wood-wind.  In 
the  whole  preceding  tiitti  the  melody  moves  exclusively  in 
natural  notes,  and  therefore  horns  and  trumpets  play  with 
the  wood-wind.  But  that  must  cease  here  on  account  of 
the  modulation.  Horns  and  trumpets  now  play  only  a  few 
harmonic  notes,  whereas  the  melody  is  entrusted  entirely  to 
the  first  wood-wind  instruments  and  disappears  as  completely 
for  the  hearer  as  if  the  earth  had  swallowed  it  up.  An 
attempt  to  let  the  brass -instruments  also  play  the  melody 
seemed  to  me  too  crude  a  makeshift,  and  the  same  objection 
prevented  me  from  reinforcing  the  horns  to  any  further  ex- 
tent. So  I  had  each  first  part  of  the  wood-wind  played  by 
three  players,  the  second  parts,  on  the  other  hand,  by  one 
only.  This  caused  a  sudden  ray  of  light  to  fall  into  this 
passage  of  such  apparent  confusion.  I  must  confess  however 
that  if  no  extra  wood-wind  is  available,  I  know  no  way  of 
rendering  this  passage  clearly  and  at  the  same  time  preserv- 
ing its  true  character.  I  hope  that  some  other  will  discover 
the  means,  or  that,  still  better,  a  time  may  come  when  the 
ninth  symphony  will  no  longer  be  performed  on  small 
orchestras  at  all.  From  bar  2  of  page  193  the  ordinary 
doubling  in  all  parts  is  resumed. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  185 

Page  193,  bar  3.    The  second  trumpet  takes  the  lower  D. 

Page  194.  From  here  to  the  entry  of  the  presto^  the 
doubling  ceases.  It  is  advisable  to  beat  crotchets  at  the  poco 
ritenente  and  to  continue  to  do  so  at  the  Tempo  I  also,  in 
order  to  be  sure  of  absolute  precision  in  the  tremolo-passage 
of  the  kettl,e-drum  (last  bar). 

Page  195.  In  the  ^flat-horns  and  trumpets  the  same 
changes  may  be  made  as  in  the  first  "Fanfare"  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Finale,  page  174.  First  oboe  and  first  clarinet 
begin  an  octave  higher  for  the  reasons  mentioned  above. 


ist  Oboe  and 
ist  Clarinet 


^^  '  I  ^'  tti 


The  time  should  be  as  quick  as  possible  here.  Wood-wind 
is  of  course  doubled. 

At  this  presto  the  baritone -singer  and  the  chorus  rise; 
the  chorus  remains  standing  till  the  end.  Individual  mem- 
bers should  not  take  their  seats  again  on  account  of  the 
disturbance  which  this  creates.  As  to  the  soloists,  the  tenor, 
alto  and  soprano  stand  up  after  the  last  words  of  the  re- 
citative ("freudenvollere").  Soprano,  alto  and  bass  take  their 
seats  at  the  beginning  of  the  allegro  assai^  page  211,  the 
tenor  at  the  end  of  his  solo,  page  219.  All  four  soloists 
stand  up  at  the  allegro  ma  non  tanto,  page  256,  and  remain 
standing  to  the  end.  This  attention  to  details  should  not 
be  considered  either  trivial  or  small-minded.  Everything  is 
of  importance  in  the  execution  of  a  great  work  of  art,  and 
it  will  be  found  in  the  end  that  time  has  not  been  wasted 
which  has  been  spent  on  removing  everything  which  would 
tend  in  any  way  to  destroy  the  artistic  impression  of  the 
whole.  And  it  is  just  these  details,  apparently  so  trivial  and 
superficial,  which  have  this  disastrous  effect. 

Page  196.  The  baritone  should  sing  his  recitative  as 
an  energetic  and  enthusiastic  summons  witii  dramatic  express- 


i86 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


ion,  as  if  he  wislied  to  control  a  raging  multitude.  Wagner 
demanded  a  tone  of  "'noble  indignation"  (edler  Entrüstung). 
He  should  begin  almost  immediately  after  the  orchestra-chords, 
i.  G.  not  later  than  is  shewn  by  the  rests.  Excellent  singers 
have  sometimes  found  it  possible  by  means  of  diligent  study 
to  sing  the  last  six  bars  of  this  solo,  "und  freudenvollere", 
in  one  breath.  If  this  is  absolutely  impossible  I  should 
recommend  the  followinsf  division. 


und       freu 


-     den;     freu  -  den-vol-le  -  re. 

In  this  case  it  is  better  to  bind  the  two  Cs  together. 


I  cannot  go  further  without  mentioning  the  great  singer 
Franz  Betz.  He  had  often  sung  this  solo  in  Berlin  when  I 
was  conducting,  and  had  alw^ays  bemoaned  the  fact  that  he 
could  not  manage  this  passage  in  one  breath.  For  this 
reason  he  asked  me  not  to  count  on  him  any  more  for  the 
ninth  symphony.  One  day  when  he  was  nearly  sixty  years 
old,  he  came  to  me  beaming  with  joy  and  said:  "Capellmeister, 
I  have  practised  it  and  studied  it,  and  I  can  do  it  in  one 
breath  now.  Let  me  sing  it  just  once  more".  At  the  next 
performance  he  sang  it  once  again  —  for  the  last  time  — 
in  a  simply  wonderful  manner,  and  did  actually  perform  this 
phrase  in  one  breath. 

It  would  be  well  for  all  young  artists  to  take  example 
from  the  zeal  which  fired  this  excellent  man. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


187 


Page   198.     From  the  entry  of  the  allegro  ^^W  the  rein- 
forcement of  the  wood-wind  comes  to  an  end. 
There  is  no  reason  for  singing 


gilp^^r^  instead  of  9'lpf T      f^ 


scho  -  ner  Freu  -  de,    schö  -  ner 

in  the  baritone -solo  as  Wagner  suggested.  He  does  not 
give  any  reason  for  the  change  himself.  Alterations  are 
only  justified  if  they  spring  from  a  pressing  need,  and  not 
on  any  other  ground  whatsoever. 

Page  207,  last  bar  to  page  210,  last  bar.  The  wood- 
wind is  doubled.  The  last  bar,  the  terrific  modulation  into 
/'major  on  the  word  "Gott",  should  be  sustained  with  the 
greatest  force.  The  kettle-drum  rolls  ff  for  a  short  time 
and  then,  as  though  in  death-shudders  at  the  approach  of  the 
Almighty,  makes  a  diminuendo  to  /,  so  that  the  ff  of  all 
the  other  instruments  remains  as  a  simple  chord  without  the 
thundering  of  the  drums.  This  direction  of  Beethoven's  is 
often  overlooked. 

Page  211.  J=  84  seems  rather  slow  for  an  allegro 
assai  vivace  in  ^stime.  I  have  therefore  adopted  j=  96. 
The  wood-wind  plays  single  again  here.  The  beginning 
must  be  played  with  the  softest  sound  possible  and  the  cre- 
scendo which  follows  should  be  made  very  gradually.  The 
auxiliary  wood-wind  comes  in  /  at  first  on  the  third  quaver 
in  bar  9  of  page  217,  then  helps  to  increase  the  volume  of 
sound  until  the  full  fortissimo  is  reached  in  the  fifth  bar  of 
page  218.  There  are  few  such  splendid  climaxes  as  this. 
From  the  entry  of  the  Fugato^  page  219,  I  took  the  time 
somewhat  quicker,  —  about  J=  104.  The  orchestra  must 
be  warned  never  to  slacken  in  strength  in  the  least  from  here 
to  the  bottom  of  page  227.  Each  individual  player  should 
put  forth  all  his  energy  in  order  to  give  with  just  as  much 


1 88  NINTH  SYMPHONY. 

force  as  the  beginning  and  whole  course  of  the  Fugato  the 
/^sharps  (page  227,  bars  5 — 13),  which  rear  up  magnificently- 
over  two  octaves. 

Page  218,  bars  7 — 9.    The  fourth  horn  plays  the  lower  .P. 

Page  219,  bars  8 — 10.     The  fourth  horn  plays  the  lower 
D  and  C. 

Page  221,   bars    7    and   8.     The    fourth    horn    plays    the 
lower  D, 

Page  222    last  bar.     The  fourth  horn  plays  the  lower  F. 

Page  226,  bar  8.     The  second   horn  plays  the  lower  D. 

Page  227,  bars  2 — 4.  The  second  horn  plays  the  lower 
F  and  D. 

Page  227,  last  bar  and  following  bars.  A  gradual  mode- 
ration of  speed  may  set  in  here.  Clarinets  and  bassoons 
naturally  play  the  small  phrases  which  follow  without  rein- 
forcement. In  the  two  bars  before  the  ff  on  page  229  the 
time  may  be  retarded  still  more  with  a  simultaneous  crescendo. 
At  the  entry  of  the  ff  the  incomparable  tension  ends  in  a 
jubilating  Allegro,  which  in  my  opinion  should  not  be  quite  so 
quickly  taken  as  the  preceding  Fugato,  perhaps  J=  96 — 100. 
The  wood-wind  plays  doubled  again.  During  the  //^^<?-passage 
which  precedes,  the  chorus  should  pay  undivided  attention 
to  the  conductor,  and  he  for  his  part  should  keep  the  chorus 
under  his  eye  so  that  the  long  rest  may  not  give  opportunity 
for  any  distraction,  and  the  wonderful  entry  may  be  made 
with  unanimous  strength  and  precision. 

Page  231,  bars  i  and  3  and  page  232,  bars  7  and  9. 
The  second  trumpet  takes  the  lower  D. 

Pages  234  and  237.  The  respective  metronome -marks 
J  =  72  and  '  =  60  give  a  satisfactory  time  but  it  should 
not  be  allowed  to  drag.  At  the  p  in  the  bar  before  adagio 
ma  nan  troppo^  7na  divoto  the  doubling  of  the  wood-wind 
stops.  Nothing  can  be  said  as  to  the  execution  of  this 
glorious  passage  because  words  would  fail  to  express  any- 
thing.    Here  everything  must  be  guided  by  feeling. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


189 


Page  239.  The  gradually  dying  fermata  should  be  waved 
off  in  order  to  give  the  female  alto-singers  time  to  take 
breath.    But  the  pause  thus  made  must  be  quite  a  short  one. 

Page  240.  Here  the  doubling  of  the  wood-wind  begins 
again.  The  metronome-mark  !^  =  84  is  good.  The  sempre 
ben  marcato  shews  sufficiently  clearly  that  the  time  is  not 
to  be  taken  too  quickly,  but  this  does  not  prevent  an  in- 
crease of  speed  in  the  course  of  the  fugue.  It  is  difficult  to 
understand  why  Beethoven  not  only  did  not  strengthen  the 
first  note  by  means  of  the  alto-trombone,  but  did  not  bring 
in  this  instrument  until  the  C  sharp  both  here  and  on  page 
246,  where  there  is  no  auxiliary  trumpet  even.  If  a  good 
first  trombone  player,  sure  of  his  high  notes,  can  be  ob- 
tained, I  see  no  reason  why  the  first  trombone  should  not 
play 


Sl"      1^'    ■^'      ^' 


m 


jj 


sj        SJ 


in  both  passages.  It  is  quite  allowable  too  to  insert  melodic 
notes  in  one  or  two  passages  both  for  horns  and  trumpets, 
as  they  are  certainly  only  omitted  because  they  were  either 
very  bad  or  altogether  missing  on  the  instruments  of  that 
time.     The  passages  are: 

Page  240,  up-beat  to  page  241,  bar  3 


Page  241,  bars  3 — 5 


l^i£5£i^l^^ 


J    J 


f"  ,^'J 


ÄfC-^Ä« .€>: 


[St     and  2nd    Horn 


_2^-  _ 


mm 


Jf 


90 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  244,  bar  2  to  page  245,  bar  i 


I 


ist  Trumpet 


:p=f 


i 


t^^- 


^..H^7=^ 


t=f 


//  /  ffffffff 

Page  248,  bar  4  to  page  249,  bar  2 


Tn..pets  ^=^^:g£^£^E^^l^^ 


+ 


Page  251  and  252.  When  the  high  A  of  the  sopranos, 
which  lasts  for  8  bars  in  {\\\\Qsifo7'tisszmo^  is  reached,  I  should 
recommend  that  those  singers  be  allowed  to  take  breath 
and  begin  the  note  afresh,  each  when  she  will,  only  not  at 
the  end  of  a  bar;  otherwise  all  will  be  taking  breath  at  the 
same  points  and  a  series  of  notes  will  arise  instead  of  one 
continuous  sound.  I  do  not  remember  who  it  was  that  gave 
me  this  advice,  but  I  have  always  followed  it  with  advantage. 

Page  252,  bar  5.     Doubling  of  the  wood-wind  ceases. 

Page  255,  bar  7.  This"  bar  contains  a  still  unsolved 
riddle,  namely,  the  clashing  of  the  C  sharp  and  the  C  on 
the  first  crotchet,  while  it  is  impossible  to  point  out  a  mistake 
in  any  one  of  the  parts.  The  melodic  writing  is  clear.  One 
might  be  led  to  think  that  the  natural  in  the  viola  had  been 
wrongly  placed  at  the  second  note  instead  of  the  first.  But 
the  progression  of  the  alto-voice  part  would  go  against  this 
for  it  is  perfectly  natural,  whereas 


. — ^^, — ^' 


m^Eä 


woh  -  nen, 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  ig  I 

seems  to  me  strained.  Is  this  anticipation  of  the  C  in 
the  melody  one  of  the  bold  anticipations  which  are  by  no 
means  rare  in  Beethoven's  later  works?  Or  are  we  to  as- 
sume a  piece  of  thoughtlessness  on  the  part  of  the  composer  ? 
I  have  had  this  passage  executed  as  it  stands,  but  I  must 
confess  that,  in  spite  of  all  reasons  to  the  contrary,  the  ear 
is  unpleasantly  struck.  I  therefore  should  not  blame  any- 
one for  making  the  corresponding  corrections  in  the  alto 
voice  and  the  violas. 

Page  255,  the  last  four  bars.  The  second  horn  takes 
the  lower  F. 

Page  256.  The  metronome -mark  '  ==  120  gives,  not 
an  allegro  non  tanio^  but  a  vivace.  But  it  is  absolutely  essen- 
tial here  to  begin  at  a  moderate  speed,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
prepare  for  the  climax  at  the  end.  I  have  therefore  adopted 
J  =  g6  for  the  beginning;  the  orchestra  plays  in  softest 
pianissimo  throughout,  and  the  soloists  do  not  need  to  assure 
us  of  their  joy  (as  they  unfortunately  often  do)  in  the  deep 
chest-note  of  conviction,  but  should  begin  with  a  soft  and 
somewhat  mistrustful  note.  And  this  manner  should  be 
maintained  until  the  orchestra  begins  the  crescendo.,  in  which 
they  also  join. 

Page  261.  The  time  has  become  somewhat  animated 
by  this  time,  possibly  to  J  =  112.  The  poco  adagio  is 
then  taken  in  such  a  way  that  a  crotchet  of  the  adagio 
corresponds  to  the  whole  of  one  of  the  preceding  bars.  By 
this  means  the  hearer  obtains  an  impression  of  restfulness 
but  there  is  no  dislocation  of  the  time.  The  sopranos  execute 
the  turn  thus 


192 


NINTH  SYMPHONY. 


Page  263.  At  this  second  poco  adagio  the  chorus  does 
not  adopt  the  new  time  but  sings  the  octave-leap  on  the 
word  "Menschen"  in  the  previous  quick  time.  The  soloists, 
who  have  sung  the 


i 


Jt 


Al  -le     Men -sehen,    al  -  le 


at  an  exuberant  forte^  take  breath  simultaneously  after  the 
last  qu^er  and  begin  again  piano  on  the  dotted  minim 
after  the  double-bar;  they  then  perform  a  gentle  crescendo 
up  to  the  word  "Menschen".  A  particularly  sympathetic 
and  well  graduated  accentuation  should  be  recommended  to 
the  four  artists  at  the  words  "werden  Brüder". 

The  modification  proposed  by  Wagner  for  the  tenor  in  the 
following  cadence  meets  with  my  approval  just  as  little  as 
the  alteration  in  the  baritone-solo  discussed  above.  It  is 
the  business  of  the  promoter  of  the  performance  to  choose 
a  tenor  who  can  sing  this  difficult  passage  as  it  is  written, 
and  who  has  enough  proficiency  in  the  art  of  tone-colouring 
to  subordinate  his  own  part  to  that  of  the  alto  in  the  first  bar 
of  the  figuration,  and  not  to  come  into  independent  promi- 
nence until  the  second  bar.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  clear 
that  the  breathing  must  be  carefully  regulated,  as  not  one 
of  the  three  upper  voices  will  be  able  to  sing  in  one  breath 
the  notes  placed  on  the  syllable  "sanf".  It  is  both  ugly 
and  unartistic  to  pause  for  breath  in  the  middle  of  one  and 
the  same  syllable,  so  at  the  sacrifice  of  a  tie  in  the  alto-part, 
I  have  introduced  a  word-repetition,  which  I  illustrate  in  the 
following  quotation  together  with  some  details  of  notation 
which  seemed  to  me  to  be  necessary. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY, 
vp  yoco  cresc. 


193 


I  rh  1 P  r 

*>  dein  si 


.   ter     Flügel  weilt,. 
poco  accelerando   . 
PP 


pill  mosso  poco  rit. 
mfm   s^  P>PPr\ 


f  f  n'rff 


I 


i 


M 


dein  sanf 
PP    ^  - 


ter     jFlügel  weilt 


®^3 


eg 


^^ 


^ 


dein  sanf 


I 


M 


/»i» 


^ 


^^ 


ter      [Flügel  weilt 


^ 


f^pi 


Mr* 


Flügel  weilt,  dein 

poco  a  jDoco  cresc 


sanf  .    ter  Flu  .  gel     weilt. 


sanf *    .  ter  Flügel    weilt._ 


*)  A  skilful  singer  will  be    able  to  take  breath  here  at  the  repetition 
of  the  note  in  such  a  way  that  the  audience  will  be  unconscious  of  the  fact. 

Weingartner,  Beethoven's  Symphonies.  1 3 


94 


NINTH  SYIMPHONY. 


The  last  poco  accelei'ando  and  piii  viosso^  which  I  have 
added  to  the  notation  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  free 
character  of  the  cadence,  and  permit  of  an  execution  of  the 
whole  passage  unbroken  by  breathing.  The  greatest  difficulty 
for  the  soprano  is  to  avoid  screaming  the  high  B  and  give 
it  in  a  gentle  mf.  The  syllable  "-gel"  should  then  receive 
the  soft  musical  accent  which  Beethoven  evidently  intended, 
although  from  a  declamatory  point  of  view  it  is  quite  un- 
justifiable. 

An  unequalled  performer  of  this  solo  is  Frau  Emilie  Herzog. 

The  accompanying  instruments  of  the  orchestra  should 
be  marked  pp  instead  of  /  from  the  last  bar  of  page  263 
onwards.  Then  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  cla- 
rinets and  the  bassoon  stop  simultaneously  with  the  singers 
at  the  fermata  on  page  265.  The  conductor  must  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  breathe  with  the  singers  so  that  they  do  not 
stop  suddenly  and  arbitrarily  whilst  the  orchestral  instruments 
are  still  holding  on  the  note.  Then  after  a  quite  short  pause 
the  poco  allegro  stringendo  begins  with  the  softest  sound. 

Page  266.  The  wood-wind  comes  in  doubled  at  the 
prestissimo.  It  is  an  advantage  to  have  two  piccolos  here 
also.  It  would  be  impossible  to  adhere  to  the  time  indicated 
by  the  metronome-mark  in  this  passage  of  boundless  enthu- 
siasm. The  performers  must  be  guided  by  the  intense  feel- 
ing of  the  conductor  and  by  the  necessity  of  giving  each 
word  clearly,  even  when  the  time  is  at  its  quickest.  Enorm- 
ous power,  but  no  unrestrained  noise!  —  This  should  be 
the  object  kept  in  view  by  all  the  performers. 

Page  269,  bars  3  and  4.  Second  and  fourth  horn  take 
the  lower  F.     So  also  on  page  272,  bar  3. 

Page  273.  The  maestoso  should  be  conducted  in  quaver- 
beats  in  such  a  manner  that  each  quaver  corresponds  in 
value  to  the  whole  of  one  of  the  preceding  bars.  ^  =  60 
might  well  be  a  good  metronome-mark,  but  certainly  J  =  60 
is  impossible. 


NINTH  SYMPHONY.  IQ5 

The  fortissimo  should  be  sustained  at  full  force  and  the 
piano  comes  in  suddenly  at  the  word  "Elisium".  '  This  is 
very  important  and  at  the  same  time  very  difficult.  Repeated 
practise  is  absolutely  necessary,  especially  for  the  chorus, 
however  excellent  it  may  be. 

The  stringed-instruments  play  the  following  demi-semi- 
quavers  stroke  for  stroke  in  an  ever-increasing  crescendo. 

In  the  last  2/4  bar  there  is  still  a  strong  crescendo  in 
chorus  and  orchestra.  The  chorus  sings  the  last  word  "-fun- 
ken"  shortly  and  sharply,  and  the  magnificent  orchestral 
tutti  closes  this  stupendous  work  with  one  last  shout  of  joy. 


